Snazzy Title Goes Here
by engel-hund
Summary: Anthro Pokemon in a world all their own.
1. RP Summary Session 1

Welcome to my Pokemorph RPG summary!  
  
First thing to get down is.I hate Pokemon. Yes, that's right! During the height of the Pokemon craze I was working at a place in the mall that caters to kid's birthday parties. Guess what more than half of those parties were themed? Guess how many little snotnosed brats I had to put up with screaming about Pikachu and throwing fits on the floor because so-and- so got the Charmander party favor and he didn't? Day in and day out, people. I loathe the very mention of the name. I have never played the game(s?), I have rarely seen the series.  
  
So you can imagine my feelings when a friend brought up the idea of a Pokemon role playing story she wanted to do. I was reluctant, but Liz has never let me down as a game master. So I agreed.  
  
It paid off. I had a really great time, and for Christmas I decided to write Liz and our partner in crime, Brian, a sort of fanfiction pieced together from scenes of the RP we'd done.  
  
Pokemorph may be an entirely original idea of Liz's or she may have been inspired from someone else, but basically what a Pokemorph is is.an anthromorphized Pokemon. Yep. Two hands, two legs, walks upright, speaks, emotes, lives like.well, a normal person. Keeping that in mind.There is no Evolution. Whatever one is born as, that's what he/she is for the rest of their lives. There are no "humans". These are as human as it gets in this universe.  
  
According to Brian (Go complain to him, he's the one who came to this conclusion), A Pokemorph can have parents of two completely different types and still be born as something else, (As evidenced by Cord's mom being a Persian, his Dad being a Porygon, and Cord himself being a.Dragonair? It confused the hell out of me, too.) His explanation is that Pokemon are technically all the same species, so breeding results are determined by pure chance.  
  
Also.While we can in no way claim the base creatures as our creations, the characters themselves and everything that goes with them is still ours, as is the setting and story itself. No plagiarism.  
  
If you don't like it, feel free to tell me, (because it's stupid to post something and then go "waah! Don't flame me! I only wanna hear praise! Waah!") but I don't actually care. This was made for Liz and Bri, not for you. ^_~ If nothing else, I just wanted to see how many people I could piss off by mangling Pokemon beyond all recognition. And then making it publicly accessible, no less.  
  
If you aren't yet disinterested, then sally forth, and good luck, for this was written with only those who were involved in mind so some things may not come across clearly to a third party. Tough noogies. And if you actually get that far, sorry about the sudden unresolved stop at the end.that's where the RP ended, though we may restart it soon and I will be sure to chronicle things as they happen so I can continue the story! (Maybe. I dunno, this alone kinna fried my brain as it is. @_@)  
  
I'll shut up now.  
  
To Cord, the twisting, convoluted hodgepodge of metal spires and randomly sculpted, nearly organic edges of the station reminded him of something some child had made in art class.perhaps by taking a ball of clay and rolling it about in screws, nails, toothpicks, marbles, and assorted hardware. When he thought of anything built of "cutting edge technology", he usually began to think of streamlined forms and clean lines. This.was a train wreck of aesthetics, a prime example of too many left brainers in one room.  
  
However, despite its less than pleasing exterior, it did boast many things his old home.so many miles away by now.lacked in. Clean air and water, a stable political environment, a delightful lack of crime, prime education, and more than enough jobs to go around. This was, in essence, the promised land for so many people. Mothers soothed their children to sleep with tales of the magnificent station, and its name was on just on the tongue of every creature he knew. Originally, only the ridiculously affluent had been able to book passage onto this floating utopia. The ridiculously affluent, however, do not sully their hands with manual labor.the hydroponic food gardens needed tending, the electronics needed to be maintained, delicate systems needed to be constantly adjusted, repairs made, climates controlled, halls and streets swept, shops needed clerks, restaurants needed waiters and cooks.and therein lay the opportunity for those of the middle and lower classes who were lucky or skilled enough to make it here.  
  
It had taken Cord and his parents several years to earn enough to book passage, even with heavy donations from other family members and friends. His father had quickly become one of the top computer programmers while his mother helped in accounting. Both had found good, solid jobs, and were settling into their new life happily, with plans for the future. They were just so damn excited. Cord sighed at the thought.he, for one, had not completely settled down in the six months that he'd been on board. He'd found ways to keep himself occupied despite his unease. His housing level was rather close to the gym, which came complete with a well-equipped spar and VR room. He could spend the better part of a day in there, easily. Even now, he was headed there, his duffle bag swinging lazily from one hand.when he found himself suddenly sprawled flat on his face, some daemon gibbering at him before bolting, and well before he could get a look at the thing.  
  
When he did raise his head, however, he found himself nose to toe with a black boot that had to be three times bigger than the ones he wore. His eyes continued to travel up.the hem of a black trenchcoat.silver buttons.the strangest looking hands he'd yet seen, with oddly thick digits terminating in rounded pads, and covered with a dusky purpled grey skin.and further up.he blinked. It was a girl. A rather pretty girl, with large, angular violet eyes and full lips.and.things.growing out of her head? Eh, he'd seen stranger.  
  
"Well?" she asked in a slightly impatient tone, "are you going to get up or do we have to accept that you're now part of the tile and walk all over you?"  
  
"What?" Cord replied intelligently, still staring up at her in bemusement. Geh, what hit him?  
  
"You're in our way," she growled, one fist going to her hip in mild impatience, broad tail lashing once.  
  
"Oh.right.sorry about that," Cord replied, scrambling to his feet. He noted with some surprise that she was very nearly as tall as he was.few girls approached his impressive 6'10 height. He groaned then, rubbing the back of his aching head. "Did you get the number of that truck?"  
  
Dusk hued lips twisted slightly in a smirk, thick fingers absently brushing back similarly purple hair from her face.  
  
"It was a Rapidash. Probably late.again. We've learned to stay out of her way. And speaking of being in the way, if you'd-"  
  
"AAGH!!" Cord cried sharply, interrupting whatever it was the strange creature was about to say, whipping his head around to stare behind him. Someone was tugging on his tail!  
  
"Oooh! They ARE attached! And here I thought you just had gaudy fashion sense!" giggled the little blonde, foxy ears twitching as she let go of the two sapphire spheres that grew near the tip of Cord's long, blue and white tail. This girl was decidedly less intimidating.much shorter, with well- coiffed blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, dressed in a purple mini skirt and patterned baby tee.both items looked rather expensive. Her very bearing reminded Cord painfully of a high school cheerleader. Not exactly the sort of person he'd expect to find accompanying this considerably more sober, dignified girl. "Is the one in your chest natural too?" She giggled again, long, furred (and well conditioned!) tails the same color as her hair swishing proudly behind her in a proud, generous plume of golden cream.  
  
"YES!" he cried, closing his black coat protectively over the shining jewel. Normally he'd be happy to have a curvy blonde touch him, but she seemed intent on dissecting him! "I'm supposed to have them, I'm a Dragonair.haven't you seen one before?"  
  
"Tch, no need to get in a huff!" she told him, peering speculatively at his large frame. "Ugh, he has the same lack of fashion sense that you do, Astra.right down to the trench coat.except he's not wearing a shirt!" she snickered, flouncing back to her companion's side with a swish of those fine tails. Cord realized the ditz was right.he and the tall girl had basically the same outfit.black trenchcoats, black pants, black boots.and in her case, a black shirt. Unrelieved darkness, between the two of them.the Ninetails of course had to make further comment. "So drab!" she cried, "So wannabe Goth! You should go with some tangerine, it'd set off the blue of your skin nicely! And maybe get a piercing in that wing thingie on the side of your head."  
  
"It's my ear, and I'm not getting anything pierced, thank you," Cord grumbled, laying a hand to the snowy, tapered ear that sprouted from similarly colorless hair. The girls made an odd pair.the somber, strange one and the fashion vic..er..expert.yet they were obviously heading somewhere together. Neither was terribly bad looking.and he didn't know very many people here. Perhaps he shouldn't pass up the opportunity? "My name is Cord," he offered rather suddenly. The dusky skinned girl in the trenchcoat didn't even blink.  
  
"Don't be rude, Astra!" the blonde admonished, standing akimbo before flashing a movie star smile at Cord. "My name is Sorcha, and this is Astraphobia, she can be a drag, but she's nice once you get to know her, I promise! You DO want to get to know her, don't you? She's pretty hot, and about your size, and I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend, if you catch my drift."  
  
Cord blinked, fighting back a blush. Astra rolled amethyst eyes and fixed the chatty blonde with a glare that Cord could have sworn would have melted adamantium.but the Ninetails didn't even seem to notice.  
  
"I think that's enough socializing for one day, Sorcha," the purple creature growled, "Now are you going to move, Dragonair, or do I have to move you myself?"  
  
Cord fairly leapt to one side, eyes a bit wide. He had the distinct impression that he really, really didn't want to upset Astraphobia.  
  
"By all means, ladies, after you!" he nodded politely. "I didn't mean to delay you, really."  
  
"Oh it's alright, Cutie!" Sorcha grinned, reaching up to pinch his cheek as they passed, "Maybe we'll find you again later, won't we Astra?"  
  
". . . . "  
  
"She says she'll think about it!" the blonde nodded at Cord before dancing away from a swipe of Astra's heavy, bulbous tail.  
  
A very, very odd pair indeed. And just what the hell was Astra, anyway? He thought he understood all the basic types his people were born into, but he found himself mystified by Astra.even fascinated. He found himself hoping that they would indeed run across one another again.  
  
---  
  
The blazing ember cometed down the hallway long after pummeling Cord, clipping more people and sending them spinning into walls and occasionally, one another, leaving a stream of dizzied victims and half-heard apologies in its wake. Faster and faster it streaked.until, as fate would have it, something blue stepped innocently.and fatefully.into the darting creature's path. A shocked squawk, a cry of pain, a puff of loosened feathers, and both tumbled over one another for good fifteen feet from sheer momentum before coming to rest.  
  
Taser groaned, points of light dancing and floating before his vision as he stared up at the polished metal beams of the hall ceiling. Everything hurt, and it took a few moments before clarity returned enough for him to realize something was on top of him. Someone, rather, he noted as he peered down at his chest, though at the moment all he could see was a cloud of crimson and gold hair. Even as he watched, a snowy white, delicate hand would rise to push the mane away, revealing a pair of wide ruby eyes set in a freckled, heart shaped face.  
  
"OMIGOSH!!" came the frantic cry, and all at once, the snow and flame creature was to her feet.hooves, rather.and had taken his hands, trying to pull him to his feet. "OmigoshI'msosososorryareyouokayIdidn'tmeantorunyouover!! OmigoshomigoshIknowyou!! I'veseenyoubeforeyou're.you're.the Captain's son!! Taser! OMIGOSH! I'msososososoEXTRAsorry!!"  
  
"Wha'?" Taser blinked, trying to piece out the words that tumbled from the girl's mouth, the syllables all running together to form one big blurb. He stumbled to his talons, shifting and stretching the pair of shimmering azure wings that crested from his back, ensuring they were well before turning to scowl at the girl. The Captain's son indeed. To most people, that was all he was. Not Taser.just the son of someone who happened to be important, or that would become important himself someday, considering he was already being groomed to take over the station himself at some point. Nobody had asked him what he thought about this arrangement, of course.he was only interested in trying to be himself. The rest of the world didn't seem too eager to cooperate.  
  
"EEEE!!" the Rapidash squealed, those crimson eyes going wide in horror as she pointed at Taser's face. "You're bleeding!!" Which started an entirely new tumble of apologetic syllables. Taser scowled, wiping a hand across his lips and peering at his fingers clinically. Indeed, there was the evidence, in crimson streaks across azure fingers. Funny, he hadn't even felt it.  
  
"It's nothing," the boy grumbled, grimacing at her endless yammering. Doesn't she realize he can't understand a word she's saying?  
  
"Omigoshomigoshit'sbrokenit'sbrokenI'msosorrysosososorry!!"  
  
"Slow DOWN!" he barked, perhaps more forcefully than he meant to. The girl clapped a hand to her mouth, her eyes shimmering dangerously. Way to go, Taser, make her cry why don't you?  
  
"Your nose," she whimpered, "I broke it!"  
  
"Eh?" Taser raised a hand to his nose, testing it gingerly.he felt nothing out of the ordinary and frowned, glancing to the fretting girl. "Seems fine to me."  
  
"But.but it's all crooked!" she protested, blinking in genuine bewilderment. Taser winced and sighed.  
  
"It ALWAYS looks like that!" he snapped, holding a hand over it protectively nonetheless. Just what he needed. Vanity issues. The girl blinked.a blush creeping conspicuously over snow white skin.  
  
"I.I apologize, I."  
  
"Forget it," Taser sighed, letting his hand fall away and ignoring the split lip for the moment. "The hell are you doing, running down the halls like that? You could have killed someone! Me, for instance!"  
  
"I'msosorry!!" the girl shifted from one hoof to the other, fiery tail swishing in agitation, "Iwasrunninglate, I'malwaysrunninglateyouseeandI.EEE!! I ~AM~ late!! SosorryIthrashedyougottagobye!" and the befreckled thing dashed off before he could make the slightest protest, leaving him with one hand up and his mouth half open. He could never honestly say this day didn't start out interesting.  
  
-----  
  
Liquid black eyes would watch the docking area of the station empty as a lull came between one busy cycle and the next. Full body vinyl glittered and flashed briefly as a stowaway unfurled herself from the landing strut she'd been lounging against. A rich, glossy cerulean mane would toss back negligently as she began stretching long-cramped, slender limbs before settling gloved hands to dark clad hips. Stowing away on the transport ship had been a desperate last minute measure, and she had paid dearly for it.she would have to sleep heavily after her sustained transformation, hidden as hard frozen ice in the lee of the landing gear.  
  
She knew very well that those who pursued her would eventually find her.even in a place so very distant from home such as this. For now, however, she would enjoy her temporary respite. Finned ears folded back slightly as the lights dimmed. All the more to her advantage.darkness was ever her friend, her shelter from those who would do her harm.it had proven its love true for her on many occasions, saving her from roving eyes and keeping unwanted attentions away. Silent as the shadows she so loved, the sleek Vaporeon stealthed from her hiding place to approach a convenient pile of metal shipping boxes piled against one wall. They'd give her an excellent foothold to the enormous condensation ducts that ran through the ship to humidify and cool it. Those ducts were large metal tubes, easy to stand in, and provided access to wherever she may want to go.they were also frigidly damp.something that appealed to her quite nicely. These ducts would be her home until some other opportunity arose.or until she was found by her pursuers. A few seconds would be all it took for the liquid creature to disappear into cool depths.and she was gone, leaving behind only a few stray droplets of melted ice.  
  
The stowaway's presence had not gone as unnoticed as she would like to think. Somewhere quite distant from the docks, in the opulent quarters of the first class district, someone.knew. Dark lacquered nails glided smoothly through reddish purple hair, freeing it from its usual severe coif, bunned atop her head. Catlike, similarly hued eyes gazed out the plated glass window, shining with subtle glee. She could not see the new arrival, but felt her quite clearly. The newcomer was more powerful than she herself seemed to know or appreciate, and she was in such a chaotic mindset that it would be all too easy to bend the little dear however she so pleased. The Vaporeon would do quite nicely.now, nearly all the players were in place. Soon.this ship.and those within it.would be hers.  
  
(Mwahaha! Er.sorry.) 


	2. RP Summary Session 2

Cord threw his head back, soaked hair slinging water in harsh, beaded patterns over the locker room mirror as he raised his face from the sink. His cheeks were flushed, eyes bright from the exhilaration of a good workout. The water still slipping from his mane skittered down along his bare back in branching rivulets, cooling his skin pleasantly and setting azure skin to shimmering. A few dutiful scrubs of the towel behind wing- like ears, and he began to walk towards the door.  
  
"Aaah, don't tell me you're leaving already!"  
  
Cord paused and turned, blinking.quite unsure if he was the one being addressed. Certainly he had to be, for the apparent speaker was looking right at him. Pointed ears interrupted a wild blonde mane that spilled into a cheerful face. A pair of small sunglasses were perched dangerously close to the end of his nose, and he wore a brightly colored pair of shorts and a loose vest. A young Jolteon, it would appear. The loudly dressed boy approached, pulling off his shades as he spoke. Cord was pretty sure he'd seen the boy before, practicing moves on a punching bag.  
  
"Name's Serike, how are ya?" he piped merrily, offering a hand. A bewildered Cord took it, blinking.  
  
"Cord.Alright, I suppose," he replied cautiously, "What do you want?"  
  
"Heh, not one for subtlety, hmm? Alright then, Cord, I've been watching you."  
  
"There's a disturbing thought," he replied drily.  
  
"Eh heh.I mean, I've been watching you practice your moves in the gym and in the VR cam. You're pretty good!"  
  
"Thank you," Cord muttered, one brow raising, "But is that all you're bothering me about? To congratulate me?"  
  
"Jeez, you really do get to the point.alright then, so will I. I want to challenge you."  
  
Cord stared a moment at the Jolteon. The little blonde barely met Cord's chest, and had to be a fraction of his weight. He gave a short, derisive laugh and turned back to the door, shaking his head.  
  
"No way," he chuckled, "I'd break you in half, Shorty. Go find someone in your own size and weight division to spar with. Hnn.!" He broke off with a startled sound, finding the Jolteon suddenly in front of him. Fast little thing, this one, and his eyes were flashing with none of the joviality of before.  
  
"Don't discount me just because I'm little," he stood straight, crossing his arms over his chest. "Back down now and I'll spread the word that you were too scared to take me up on a challenge!" Cord sighed. He quite frankly didn't give a damn what other people thought of him.it wasn't the threat, but more Serike's spirit and confidence that had him considering a change of heart.  
  
"Alright, fine," Cord sighed, pulling the towel from his shoulders and tossing it in the bin. "But don't say I didn't warn you, and I'm not going to be liable for anything, Serike."  
  
"Eh, just call me Ri!" he beamed, all sunshine again, bounding off towards the VR room.  
  
Cord led the way into the Virtual Reality room, turning the program on as he did so. The room was set up to simulate the more powerful attacks their kind had mastered, whether for an individual or for a group who wanted to do some sparring. While the pain was real enough, there was almost no risk of injury. Cord had been in here with increasing frequency lately, as he'd felt himself on the verge of learning a new technique. This was foolish, of course, as there were no more techniques Dragonair could learn...Dragon Rage had been the last. Still, he'd been putting in the hours. It would be interesting to see if they would pay off here.  
  
For his part, Ri was bouncing lightly on his toes, ready for the signal to start. He was pretty intimidated by the larger boy, but he'd taken down big guys before, this wouldn't be any different. When the signal went off, he moved in with a Quick Attack, connecting with a roundhouse kick to the ribs, using his momentum to complete the turn and deliver a back kick to the sternum. Cord was ready for the speed of his opponent, but the power behind the strikes was surprising. Deciding to try and end things quickly, he gathered multicolored energy in his hands and thrust it forth, with a cry of "Hyper Beam!" Ri was too close to fully evade the blast, and was sent sprawling halfway across the room. He got back up quickly, though, grinning, as Cord cursed under his breath. They both knew that a recharge period was required after a Hyper Beam; they both knew that the pain was going to be strictly one-way in the short term.  
  
Again Ri rushed in to deliver close-range attacks, and all Cord could do was cover up to try and minimize the damage. Too drained by his attack to strike back, he was all but a punching bag for the faster boy. Ri grinned as he lifted his right leg...and delivered a surprise roundhouse to Cord's left knee. Cord dropped slightly before he could stabilize on his right leg, giving Ri the chance to leap up and deliver a rising kick to the bottom of Cord's jaw. He stumbled back, then spun, whipping his tail around. The balls on the end of his tail contacted squarely with the side of Ri's face, but he hopped back quickly before Cord could grab him.  
  
Ri shook his head a little...Cord had recovered faster than he'd thought he would, and he couldn't risk taking too many direct hits like that. Instead, he gathered up his electricity and fired a bolt of Lightning at his opponent. He knew Dragons were resistant to electricity, but he hoped his most powerful attack would have some effect. To his dismay, Cord didn't even try to dodge it, instead charging up a distance attack of his own. Shortly after the Lightning struck, blue flame erupted from Cord's mouth as he let forth a Dragon Rage. Ri tried evading this, too, but as he was nicked by it, he discovered the property that made Dragon Rage such a powerful attack: no matter who it hits, no matter how squarely it hits, it always does the full amount of damage. He'd been on the receiving end of techniques that hurt more, but there was no way he could win a distance game in this situation.  
  
With no other choice, he rushed in again to make the fight close range. He'd gotten careless and had taken a hit from the tail, but he was confident that he could use his speed to evade enough of his opponent's blows to come out ahead. He delivered a double-hand palm strike to his opponent's stomach that had him reeling, and made to follow up with a roundhouse to the ribs when everything fell apart. Cord had been waiting for a roundhouse, and hooked his left arm under his attacker's right leg, holding him in place. As Ri's eyes widened, Cord again gathered up the required energy in his right hand, and let forth a Hyper Beam point blank, sending the Jolteon across the room before skidding to a stop, unconscious. Cord limped his way over and picked him up easily. He set him over his shoulder as he carried him out, and lay him on one of the benches in the weight room. He paused for a few seconds before speaking.  
  
"You're tougher than you look." He then casually made his way out.  
  
Cord was just about to head down the metallically gleaming hall when something caught his eye. A very small, copper skinned child was huddled against a wall, his large, dark eyes shimmering with a sadness that tugged at Cord's heart. Those soulful pools watched each person carefully as they passed, as though searching.and with each soul that walked by him, he seemed to give a little twinge of despair. The Dragonair sighed, running a hand back through chin length, snowy white locks. He knew it was none of his business, but against his better judgment.he changed direction.  
  
The little Eevee peeked up from between wild caramel forelocks at the looming shape, impossibly long, softly furred ears laying back along his shoulders. Those utterly enormous eyes showed absolute trust, however, and a tentative smile was offered.  
  
"H.hi."  
  
"Hey kid," Cord said softly, crouching down, elbows on his knees, to level himself with the kid. The little creature sniffled and drew a sleeve across his face. Cord noted idly that the child's clothes were far too big, and his hands were lost somewhere in the folds of cloth. "Why the tears, hmm?"  
  
"M' not crying!" the child protested innocently, despite continuing to scrub at chubby cheeks. "M' waiting for my Papa."  
  
"Waiting, eh?" Cord glanced down at the handful of candy wrappers scattered around the boy's nearly hidden sneakers. "Waiting for how long?"  
  
"Nnn." the child made an unhappy little sound, sucking on his lower lip for a moment as he looked away, mumbling so softly Cord could barely hear him. "I dunno." He didn't want to say it. His Papa was coming for him. He promised, when he put him on the transport, that he'd be on the next one out.but despite all his faithful waiting.his father had never come. "Few weeks, I guess."  
  
"Weeks!" Cord exclaimed, perhaps a bit louder than he meant to.the child flinched and shrank back, eyes wide. Cord was careful to speak more softly, leaning forward slightly. "Surely you're with someone here?"  
  
"Nu uh," the boy sniffled, snuggling into the sleeves of his oversized shirt, "m' alone."  
  
Alone. For weeks. And with probably no food save that bit of candy. What sort of father was this? Cord sighed inwardly. He generally preferred to keep to himself and valued his privacy.but he knew that if he walked away, he'd never forgive himself. He extended one azure hued hand and gave the kid what he hoped was a friendly looking smile.  
  
"I'm Cord," he introduced himself brightly, "What's your name?"  
  
"M.Matrix." the little one replied quietly, peering at the offered hand in baffled confusion. Cord blinked and let it fall. Maybe he was too young to know what a handshake was.  
  
"Well then, Matrix, why don't we go wait for your Papa somewhere else? We'll keep checking at the desk to see if he's arrived, and in the meantime, you can sleep in a bed and have real food."  
  
"But." Matrix was reluctant.he wasn't supposed to go anywhere with strangers, and he wanted so badly to be here the moment his father walked out from that silvery hall. But he was so very tired, and so very hungry.and the man certainly looked nice enough. His stomach growled loudly, and he found himself nodding slowly. A look of subtle relief crossed Cord's face and he stood, taking the child's hand.or sleeve, in this case, his hand proper was difficult to locate in those folds.and the two would make their way towards home.  
  
Cord's parents, of course, would be all too delighted to take the abandoned Eevee in, and Cord found himself with a new roommate. The Dragonair rather quickly learned that the curious child liked to get into everything, poking into places even his parents didn't (which meant his "special" magazines had to be relocated) and utterly wrecking the already shabbily kept room. It was hard to get mad at him, however.one mournful look of those fluid, dark eyes and Cord would just sigh, quietly picking up whatever mess happened to be the current issue. Matrix had a more disturbing habit than ruining Cord's carefully alphabetized music collection, however.Matrix liked to wander. Cord suspected he was really looking for his father, but while crime on the ship was next to nil, he still didn't feel comfortable letting the small child roam alone, especially after the ship settled into its "night" cycle.  
  
Cord sighed, pulling on his dark coat as he realized his room was once more Matrix-less. His little roommate had gone out wandering in the dark again. His pattern was inconvenient, as Matrix tended to be further and further from home with each trip.  
  
Feeling there was no sense in waking his parents for something that, over the weeks they'd taken custody of Matrix, had become so common, Cord headed out alone. The roof of the district had been fitted with a simulator, and currently it was churning out the illusion of a clear, moonlit night, complete with twinkling stars that looked every bit as real as the true stars they were, in fact, drifting through. Its beauty was somewhat lost on Cord, who had his head down to better search for the child. Sometimes Matrix was simply wandering the streets.sometimes he could be found in an alley or, should he take his venture during the day, a shop or hotel. The searching process was, therefore, something that had to be done very thoroughly.exhausting work, this. Cord began to feel the tiredness settling in when a glowing café sign caught his eye.  
  
"Inne Somnia"  
  
..Cute, he thought with a roll of his eyes, pushing the door open. So long as it had some coffee to perk him up so that he could continue his search, however, he didn't care what the place was called.  
  
Inside, it was cozy, softly lit and comfortably cluttered, armchairs and couches sprinkled in with the expected tables and stools. To one side was a bar tended by some bored looking woman with dyed green hair and enough piercings to qualify as her own hardware store. Behind her were glass sliding cases filled with donuts and modest, ready-made meals. The strong, earthy, sweet scent of coffee hung thick in the air. Well then, he'd come to the right place, hadn't he.? He'd order himself a steaming cup of something strong enough to keep him going and settle into a chair with a comfortable sigh.  
  
"You're in my seat," came a growl from behind Cord. He jumped, barely keeping hold of the hot liquid in his grasp. He turned slightly to gaze over his shoulder sourly.  
  
"I'm sorry, I..Astra?" he blinked. That rather unique looking creature from before was hard to forget, after all.  
  
"Do I know you?" she grumbled bluntly, angular eyes narrowing as she drew her hands from her coat pockets. "Oh wait.you're the idiot who got run over in the hallway.Cord."  
  
"Yeah," Cord grinned, putting his coffee on the small table in front of him and rubbing the back of his head. Despite her harsh words, there was a calm tone there that took away the acid in her comments.if he didn't know any better, he'd have to say this WAS her way of being nice. "Um.where's your friend?"  
  
"Sorcha?" she replied, moving over to sink onto a couch nearby, slinging her arms lazily over the back, that black coat swirling and billowing briefly before quieting. "She usually doesn't stay up this late. Something about beauty sleep or whatever. Serike's usually the one who sticks around, but not tonight, it seems."  
  
"Serike!" Cord exclaimed, "You KNOW that idiot?"  
  
"Jolteon, big mouth, loud clothes?" Cord nodded. "Yeah, also a friend of mine."  
  
"I see," he nodded, smirking. "Do you want your chair back?"  
  
"I'm comfortable for now, thanks," she sighed, amethyst forelocks fluttering gently.  
  
"You um.you don't seem the type who would get along with such people.I mean, they're nice but.I don't know, kind of.well.not the sort I would expect you to hang out with.you don't look like their kind of person."  
  
"Sorcha's a decent person, if you can peel away the superficiality she surrounds herself with. It's not really her fault. Her father is a wealthy businessman and has been spoiling her rotten since birth. She actually has a sharp mind and a deep thought now and again, she just doesn't like to admit it. Serike's an idiot but he's loyal, which is more than I can say about most people in my life. Mind what you say about them, Dragon.I don't take lightly those who insult the few friends I have."  
  
"I didn't say anything bad about her!" he protested, flinching away from the chilling gaze she'd fixed him with. Time for a change of subject! "Um.so, do you come here often?" Ouch. Talk about a tired old line. She glared at him for it, too, then just shrugged slightly.  
  
"I guess. It's open late, and I sleep little," she said before tilting her head at him slightly with an unsettling, studious expression. "You're looking for someone, aren't you." Cord blinked, his tail curling nervously about the leg of his chair.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Lucky guess," she replied, deadpan. Then her lips quirked into a smirk. "Actually, it's just floating on top of your mind. Easy to pick out."  
  
"You're.psychic?" Cord asked, eyes widening slightly. They certainly weren't unheard of, but were rare by anyone's standards. Then it struck him.the odd horns, the purplish skin, the height.she was a Mewtwo!  
  
"Only one on the station, too, as far as I can tell," she said. Cord grimaced.that was just creepy.  
  
"Please don't do that," he asked.  
  
"As you wish," she chuckled, seeming to find some kind of amusement in this. "In truth it's quite an effort to it from over here, even though we're relatively close. Tactile bonds are much easier. But I'm surprised you haven't run off screaming. Not everyone can handle this."  
  
"Do you want me to leave you alone, Astra?" he offered softly. Is this what she did.tried to frighten people away? He had to wonder why.and even as those thoughts crossed his mind, he regretted them.but.Astra seemed to have withdrawn from his psyche.she didn't so much as twitch.  
  
"Up to you, I guess," she shrugged noncommittally. "I don't really care."  
  
"Well then," Cord smiled, picking up his coffee and blowing gently on it before taking a sip. "Let's talk.Astraphobia." 


	3. RP Summary Session 3

Matrix was tired and hungry, but was unwilling to go back to his new home just yet. He himself wasn't sure why he wandered. Cord and his family were very nice to him. They fed him and gave him a place to sleep and gave him kisses and hugs and toys to play with...but they weren't his Papa and sometimes.sometimes he just had to get out. Sometimes he was looking for his father. Sometimes he simply felt the need to be somewhere else. He knew it worried Cord and he felt bad about that but he just.had to.  
  
The streets seemed extra unfriendly tonight and the little Eevee's steps grew quick and anxious.maybe he should head back. This territory was unfamiliar, and he was starting to feel lost. There came a sudden sound in an alley and his normally limp ears went straight up, feet sending him streaking forward in a panic! Then.his next step was halted abruptly as his stepped on his own undone shoelaces and he was sent tumbling head over heels with a cry, landing in a shaking little heap of too-big clothes and tangled ears.  
  
A brush along his back conjured up images of monsters and demons trying to grab him and pull him into the dark, those liquid chocolate eyes snapping up fearfully.but no monster. Only a blue lady, who had knelt beside him and was now pulling him to his feet. He sniffled, standing, then watched as she tied those dangerous shoes for him. He watched her, tears and terror utterly forgotten for the moment. She had pretty hair. He wanted to touch it! And, being the child he was, he acted on that impulse, stroking a small hand down shining cobalt tresses.  
  
"Your hair is pretty!" he piped cheerfully. The lady blinked again, then smiled, her dark eyes shining softly. "Thank you for helping me up. I can't really tie my shoes good yet." The woman nodded but said nothing, finishing up the bow on one sneaker. Matrix frowned a little, but then just plowed on. "My name is Matrix! I live with Cord, he's my big brother now. We're waiting for my Papa, have you seen him?" The woman shook her head no, getting to her feet. "Oh.well, that's okay. What's your name?" The woman grimaced slightly and Matrix wondered if he'd done something wrong. Then she moved gracefully to a nearby shop window and bent slightly, lips parting as she breathed gently on the pane. Then she took her finger to it, writing something in the resulting cloud of moisture. Matrix could read, but only a little bit.he stumbled and stuttered over the syllables, trying to make sense of them. The words read: NA-EE-AH. He tried them out, fumbling along, and the woman nodded. Of course, she hadn't spelled her name correctly.the child would never have been able to understand "Nai'ia".  
  
"Nai'ia!" he beamed proudly, pleased that he'd been able to decipher it. "That's your name?" Another nod from the Vaporeon. She didn't seem to talk, or want to talk. Matrix accepted this easily enough, and turned to straightening his floppy clothes. The blue lady then turned and began to walk away. Matrix blinked, scampering after her. "Dun' leave!" he cried. "I don't wanna be alone, Nai'ia!"  
  
Nai'ia stopped, and he moved up beside her, reaching up for her hand automatically. Those dark eyes of hers softened, and she bent, scooping him up into her arms and holding him tight for a long moment. Nai'ia.hated everyone.and everything.but children.she held nothing against. She felt closer to them than anything else, without even trying. For someone who had nothing.nothing at all.this was a treasured feeling. The boy in her arms nestled trustingly into her and she sighed, stroking his hair and ears with easy affection. Matrix just melted into it comfortably. He needed this.  
  
"Matrix?" Came a call in the near distance. Nai'ia stiffened, dropping into a half crouch and gently putting the confused child on his feet.  
  
"That's Cord!" Matrix chirped happily, "He's come to find me, like he always does. You should stay and meet him, then you can be friends!" Nai'ia shook her head, giving him a sad little smile and touching one long, furred ear before slipping into the alley, disappearing into the shadows. Cord came jogging up, tired, but relieved.  
  
"There you are," he sighed, plucking up the little one. "We need to have a serious talk about all this running off you do, I can't concentrate on my studies!"  
  
"You scared Nai'ia away!" Matrix pouted, but snuggled into Cord's familiar black trench coat.  
  
"Nai'ia? Who's that?"  
  
"She tied my shoes for me!" he replied, swishing his bushy tail merrily. "And then she stayed with me 'til you came.then she ran an' hid!"  
  
"Oh she did, hmm?" Cord frowned, peering into the shadows. Why would anyone have reason to hide in this ship? Unless, of course, they were up to no good. Cord slowly put the child back down, eyes narrowing at the alleyway. "Stay right here, okay?" And without waiting for an answer, he stepped into the foreboding recesses.  
  
"Hello?" he called softly, his tail held low to the ground nervously. Perhaps this Nai'ia was only a figment of Matrix's imagination?  
  
Geh, it had been foolish of her to run into this dead ended alley. Here there were no condensation ducts to climb into, and nowhere to run. She saw the Dragonair approach and dove behind a pile of discarded boxes, going quite still. The darkness and her own silence had been her savior before.but not this time. The tall creature knew something had gone in here, and that there was no way out.whatever had come in was still here, period. She cringed against the wall, watching helplessly as he came closer, using his tail to shift things aside and peer behind them. she would not wait to be found. Nai'ia sprang to her feet with a challenging, low hiss, half crouched, her eyes narrowed and glittering in the half light of the artificial stars above.  
  
Cord leapt back, startled, as the slender being shot into view. It was a woman, a Vaporeon, by the looks of it. She was sleek and elegant, wearing some kind of odd black bodysuit that cast light from every graceful curve and rise of her form. She'd expected to be able to HIDE in something so reflective? He gave her a small smile, moving forward.  
  
"Um, hi! Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he greeted in a quiet voice. She stepped back nonetheless, growling almost ferally, ear-fins laying back along lustrous sapphire hair. Cord paused, pulling back a bit and studying her more closely. Her bearing, the look in her eyes.something was slightly off, ever so slightly wrong. He wondered if she was, perhaps, a little off her rocker. "Hey, you helped my lil bro', I'm not going to do anything bad to you. What's your name?"  
  
She only hissed, backing towards a sanitary grate. She certainly didn't like taking that route, but she could bathe later. And before the blue Dragon could stop her, she'd flipped aside the cover with her fluked tail and disappeared into the unknown depths.  
  
Cord stood here for a moment, staring at the space she'd been in a moment before. He wasn't sure why, but he felt it was wrong to have let her go.  
  
----  
  
The game arcade was particularly busy today, Taser noted as he picked his way through the mass of chattering children and teens, silky blue wings tucked tightly behind him. The noise alone would have been enough to frighten away the faint of heart. Assorted shouts and screams, entire symphonies of electronic beeps and trills, the shuffle of many pairs of feet and raucous laughter filled the air. Yet oddly, he felt it was a sanctuary of sorts. Very few adults came in here, including his father, and he could lose himself for hours in the neon embrace of those many screens. There were favorites, of course.the dancing sim, for instance, and Space Captain Amano. He prided himself on the fact that despite the enormous volume of customers who courted the games daily, he consistently held the high score on those two. According to his father, he couldn't do anything right.so he'd do THIS right, as minor a victory as it was. Tossing a handful of silvery tokens to himself, he approached Space Captain Amano, shoulders back confidently. He took a moment to watch the demo play by, followed by his high scores.  
  
5th TAS  
  
4th TAS  
  
3rd TAS  
  
2nd TAS  
  
And then, blinking frantically in brilliant hues across the screen.  
  
1st RAD  
  
It took a moment to register. Then he scrubbed his eyes, slammed his hands down on the controls, and leaned forward to stare, one eyebrow twitching. Eight solid months of being the ONLY person in the best score slot and suddenly.suddenly it was gone?! Noooo! Who the hell was this RAD upstart anyway?! Well he'd show him!  
  
He'd just begun to select a token to start the game when a particular din from behind him caught his attention. Scowling, he turned with a flare of pale azure hair to see what the noise was all about. The dance sim, of course. It wasn't unusual to see a crowd gathered there to watch the better gamers, but something in particular caught his eye. The score screen was flashing. That meant someone was, at this very moment, breaking the high score. HIS high score!! He pocketed his tokens and stalked over, plowing through the gathered onlookers to the front of the line so he could see.  
  
"YOU!" he gasped, eyes going wide as he recognized the girl who had run him over in the hall several weeks before. She didn't answer, of course, crimson eyes intent on the screen in front of her, diamond hooves flashing across the touchpad in wild motion that became increasingly hard to follow. Taser's accusingly pointed finger slowly wilted as he looked on in horror. It was going to take some serious, serious practice to beat this new score! It should be impossible, or illegal even, to move that fast! Just then, the set ended, and the panting Rapidash hopped over the pad, marking in the new score.  
  
1st RAD  
  
"YOU did it!" Taser cried anew, making the girl jump! She turned to blink at him in bewilderment, fiery hair in disarray about that freckled face.  
  
"Oh! Hello again!" she beamed cheerfully, swishing that flame hued tail behind her innocently. "Taser, right? I'm sorry, I think I forgot to leave you my name last time! I'm Radish!"  
  
"Radish? Isn't that a vegetable?" he grumbled, eyeing her. She didn't seem perturbed by his anger in the least, that snowy face still innocently merry.  
  
"No silly, Radish is me!" she replied with a sage nod as though this made the best sense in the world!  
  
"I er..see." he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. It was hard to be mad at someone so damn happy. "You um..you like video games?"  
  
"Oh I love them, there was an arcade rightnexttowheremyauntandIusedtoliveandtherewasnothingtodothereyouknowsoIwou ldjustgotothearcadeallthetimeandgotreallyreallygoodatalotofthegamesbecauseI playedthemsomuchandthenIfoundouttherewasanarcadehereandIjustcouldn'thelpmyse lfand-"  
  
"Whoah!!" Taser cried, holding up his hands to stop the sudden flow of endless, breathless chatter. "Slow down, you're hard to understand when you talk like that!"  
  
"Talk like what?" she blinked in confusion. Oh wonderful, she didn't even realize she was doing it. Taser sighed and slumped a bit. This was going to be impossible. "Aah, don't look so sad!" she cried, stooping to peer at the Aticuno's face. "Come on, I'll treat you to a sundae, and maybe you can tell me what's bothering you! Ice cream fixes everything, you know!" she giggled, winking cutely at him. Taser blinked, lifting his head. Eh, what the hell? He sighed, nodding.and found his hand caught up in hers as she busily tugged him back through the arcade.  
  
Every machine they passed was flashing RAD as the high score. Taser sighed.this was going to take a LOT of effort to rectify.and a LOT of quarters.  
  
----  
  
The Vaporeon sighed and stretched languorously in her favorite condenser, peering out the grate to observe the residential deck far below. She was in an odd humor. After meeting that child, she'd seen him several times, and even paid him a few visits, in secret of course. He always seemed happy to see her, and he gave her some bit of comfort in this otherwise cold existence of hers. Sometimes that Dragonair would watch them from a distance.he probably thought he was being stealthy, but Na'ia always knew he was there. She sighed, curling her fluke over her back, resting her chin on her arms, her hair pooling and slithering about her body.  
  
Serenity was not to be hers, however. The insofar distant watcher had made her move.  
  
Nai'ia cried out softly, curling into a protective ball and clutching at her suddenly burning skull.memories she did not want came flooding back, voices babbling and screaming at her.accompanied by a new voice.a commanding, irresistible voice. Nai'ia had power well beyond what her kind should possess. She should use this power. Use it now. This way. Use it here.I'll show you.and you WILL do it.  
  
----  
  
"Helloooo ladies!"  
  
Sorcha jumped as Serike snuck in behind her and tugged at those lustrous tails of hers. She whirled about and sent a sound slap his way, but the swift little Jolteon was already away, having wisely put a clothes rack between himself and the furiously blushing girl.  
  
"SERIKE!"  
  
"Heh heh, calm down Sweetcheeks, it was just a little touch!" he grinned insufferably at her.  
  
"I don't want you anywhere near me you pervert," she huffed, tilting her nose into the air.  
  
"Awwwa, you just need some good lovins, dontcha! Ri's got the magic, how about tonight we-"  
  
"Ri," came a voice from behind him. Serike's ears wilted and he winced, recognizing the voice.  
  
"Heh, didn't know you were here, Astra, shopping doesn't look like your thing!" He would turn slowly, rubbing the back of his head as he met that unamused set of angular amethyst eyes.  
  
"Out, Serike," she growled softly, towering over the smaller creature. Astra did not have to actually try to be intimidating. It just happened naturally. "The more you delay her the longer I have to stick around and I hate clothes shopping. It puts me in a bad mood."  
  
"Oh we wouldn't want Astra in a bad mood, would we?" he grinned, but despite those words, the spiky haired youth was inching towards the door. "Catch you later, my lovely!" he twiddled his fingers at Sorcha, who pointedly didn't even look at him, before ducking out. Astra waited a few moments, then headed out that way as well.  
  
"I'll be outside, you two hurry it up," she mumbled, shoving her hands in her coat pockets. Sorcha sighed, then perked and got back to the business at hand. Radish had been quiet during the encounter.  
  
"Now back to what we were talking about.er..What did you say his name was?" Sorcha chirped as she contentedly picked through clothes in one of the upscale department stores, her skilled fingers flying over the various garments to pluck out only the very best of the best. Her great plume of multiple tails swished, her eyes sparkling, her ears twitching.she was in her true element. Shopping was such a zen experience. So few people understood!  
  
Radish, laboring under the small mountain of intended purchases she had to carry for the Ninetails, strained to peek her head out from over the pile of cloth to answer.  
  
"His name is Taser," she replied with a grunt, trying to keep the tower of fashion from toppling. Radish had to wonder if Sorcha ever, EVER wore the same garment twice. And how could she keep forgetting Taser's name? The grumpy boy had softened up, with some ice cream and kind words. She discovered that he was really quite lonely and afraid. He didn't want to live in his father's shadow and they fought a lot.all Taser needed was someone to talk to who wouldn't criticize him for everything in the name of 'toughening up' or training. Radish..felt the need to be that person, for some reason. She would like to think that Taser had come out of this liking her a little better too.or, liking her as much as someone you ran into the ground CAN like you.  
  
"Oh yeah, him," Sorcha wrinkled her nose at a polyester blend and tossed it over her shoulder. "He's not terribly cute, Radish dear, and you're just so adorable, I'm sure you can do better than that. Though his position...hmm.that might make up for it a bit. Oooh! The pink or the blue?" she broke off, holding up a pair of party dresses. Radish grimaced, her knees beginning to wobble under her load.  
  
"There's more to men than looks and status, you know.Um.I like blue!" she replied, then balked as Sorcha went to toss it on the pile. "Sorcha, I can't carry anymore!" she protested. "My arms are full!" Sorcha paused, seeming to consider this as she eyed the poor Rapidash. Then she beamed.and hung the newest garment from Radish's horn, utterly obscuring the girl's face. Radish blinked, then her ears wilted. "Sorchaaaaa!!"  
  
"Hee! Just kidding!" Sorcha giggled, taking the dress off Radish's forehead.then squealing as the floor shuddered under their feet, the lights flickering wildly. Clothes burst into the air, and both girls ended up under the pile of garments. Sorcha popped her head out of the mess, a pair of pants perched atop her ears. "What in the name of Tiffany's Diamonds was THAT? Oooh, and it messed up my HAIR!!"  
  
Astraphobia sprinted back into the shop, hauled both Ninetails and Rapidash to their feet, and shoved them outside of the building just as beams began to shudder and creak in the aftershock.  
  
"What's going on?!" Sorcha cried as the streets began to fill with confused and alarmed people. The station was trembling something terrible, and the floor was beginning to tilt off kilter.as though the entire ship had lurched to one side somehow.  
  
"Something's wrong," Astra growled, peering up and off into the distance. From here, she could just barely make out the end of the housing district, where part of the bridge and command center began. She wasn't sure, but she thought she could see smoke coming from it. Her heart sank. They were too distant from Earth to be rescued in time if something serious were to happen.she blinked then, as droplets began to rain down from the artificial sky.  
  
"I didn't know the simulator could make rain," mused Sorcha, blinking up at the unexpected shower.  
  
"It can't," Astra frowned, reaching out a tri-fingered hand to catch one of the droplets. "They're real."  
  
"OW!" cried Radish suddenly, jumping and brushing frantically at her arms. "Astra, it hurts! What is it, acid?"  
  
"Don't fight much, do you," she replied, pulling off her voluminous coat and plopping it unceremoniously over the Rapidash to protect her. "It's elementally charged. You're a fire type, so it's going to hurt you in a way normal water won't. But since it IS charged, that means this is someone's doing. Someone created it."  
  
"Well it's not terribly nice of them!" whined Sorcha, peering mournfully at her tails and huddling under an awning, "It's ruining my style! Can't we go back inside, Astra? Why'd you drag us out, anyway?"  
  
"Everything's still shaking. If another one of whatever that was hits, buildings could start to collapse.unless you WANT to be a Ninetails Pancake."  
  
Radish peered up from beneath the safety of Astra's coat, ruby pools blinking in recognition as they caught sight of something soaring just under the district's roof.  
  
"Sorrygottagobye!" she cried before bolting through the crowd, the protective coat flaring and fluttering behind her as she gained speed, and woe unto those that got in her way. She struck more than a few of those who had come out to gawk at the smoking bridge in the distance. It was easy enough to keep up with the flying creature, even if she did occasionally mow down some poor soul.but this was important. She knew, somehow, she had to keep up.she had to get there when he did.  
  
Only after circumnavigating several water filled corridors did she find what she was looking for. Taser. The boy was down on his knees, head bowed, his hands clawing into the surface of a horribly twisted access door. Radish went to him quickly, sinking beside him.  
  
"Taser," she whispered, almost afraid to touch him. She reached out anyway, laying one snowy hand to his shoulder. He only shuddered and curled further into himself, letting his hands fall away from the door.  
  
"Father's dead," he hissed out, "They won't let me in to see him."  
  
"O.oh.Taser!" Radish gasped, feeling cold all over, and those large crimson eyes began to shimmer with sympathetic tears. "What's happened? It looks like something exploded!"  
  
"Something did," he replied brokenly, still not lifting his head. "When the water hit the main power line to the command center, everything went up. It shouldn't have even been able to breach it, there must have been a fault in the insulation.I don't know."  
  
"Where.where did all this water come from?"  
  
"I don't know that either," he croaked, "I just don't. Nobody's telling me anything, and I want to see my father." he trailed off miserably.then actually jumped a bit as Radish put her arms around him, drawing him close. In any other situation, he would have jumped away.but he found himself clutching her and breaking into tears that he would be ashamed of later.  
  
Radish remained silent, stroking his hair and speaking low, soothing words to him.knowing that there was nothing more she could do to help. Her own heart was breaking.she barely knew this boy, but she felt, oddly, as though this were her place. This was what she was meant to do. Quietly, she draped Astraphobia's filched coat over him and continued to hold him until the grief had run its course for now. 


	4. RP Summary Session 4

"I don't know if she did it or not, Astra," Cord sighed that evening, gazing over at the unconscious Vaporeon curled against the metal of a ceiling pane. Astraphobia stood behind him, silhouetted against the true starlight that glistened down from the view port. After he'd found the stumbling, dazed Nai'ia staggering through the half-ruined halls spidering out from the bridge. She'd collapsed moments after, and he'd spirited her away to Astraphobia's stargazing spot: a small, hidden alcove between two huge support beams with a great view of the stars and portions of the ship. "She was there and there was lots of water everywhere.it doesn't make her guilty, and I'm not saying she's innocent. There were dozens of Water types on the bridge at the time, it could have been any of them."  
  
"I still say it's a dangerous game you're playing, Cord." Astrologica warned him, pulling her reacquired coat about her shoulders. An unusually subdued Radish had returned it to her, then mumbled something about staying with some boy for a while. It wasn't as though Radish had parents to tell her no, having come here alone. Astra didn't feel it her place to ask further, though she found it odd. She shook her head, returning to the matter at hand. "If she was, in fact, the one responsible, she's going to be wanted for the murder of over three hundred technicians, officers, and specialists. If you're harboring her, you'll take the fall for that.or worse, be labeled an accomplice."  
  
"Call me crazy but I don't really think it was her fault, even if she did do it," Cord replied, running a hand over snowy locks before turning his gaze to the drifting stars. "There's something wrong with her. I don't know what. I know she understands speech and is able to use her voice, I've heard her make sounds when playing with Matrix, but she never does talk. And she runs away from everyone, including me.I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a home.which is really weird when we live in a place that assigns living cubicles along with your ticket. Please, Astra, she needs someone to look after her and.I'd like it to be me. Just give her sanctuary here until she's strong enough to leave and I won't bother you about it again, I promise. And maybe.well.you're psychic. Maybe you can find out what's wrong with her. Read her mind or.whatever it is you psychic types do. Please, I'd be grateful to you for the rest of my life if you would just help me out here."  
  
"Fine," Astra sighed, rubbing irritably at one horn, "I'll delve into your psychopathic girlfriend here.and I'll keep quiet for now, Cord, but you owe me one. Two, actually. Plus coffee."  
  
"Thank you," he breathed, breaking into a winning grin. "Hey, I'm going to go get a blanket to cover her with, I'll be back in a few." And Cord swept away, heading off at a light jog. Astra watched him go, then crouched by the blue haired woman, head canting to one side, amethyst depths nearly flinty in their regard.  
  
"Alright, you plastic coated crazy," she murmured to no one in particular, laying two round fingertips to the cool surface of the unconscious Vaporeon's forehead. "Let's see what you're up to." Dark lashes floated down to dusk colored cheeks as she closed her eyes.  
  
Chaos. She would find herself diving through shattered, disjointed images and impressions, threads of thought that ended nowhere or looped in on themselves in endless repetition. This one was insane alright. She delved further, trying to push past that outer shell of madness and to the true psyche beneath. It became increasingly difficult to concentrate on her purpose, howling daemons and jagged blades of a broken mind clawing senselessly at the intruder, slowing her progress. Astra fought them away, shuddering, trying to move beyond them. Se needed something far more recent than this. she wanted to know what had happened earlier that very day. There, there it was. It was..  
  
Blocked. There was something stopping Astraphobia. Something dark and alien to this psyche. Something Nai'ia couldn't possibly have done herself. Then all in one moment she found herself being drawn into it.it wanted to kill her, this threat that had intruded into its sweet puppet's mind. Fragments stabbed viciously into her.sordid memories and lingering, intense streaks of hatred that threatened to pierce Astra's own mind. Monsters.monsters that had, at least for Nai'ia, been very real, and had performed true horrors upon her. Screams. Malicious ravaging of innocence. Screams of agony, screams of fear, screams of the madness alone. Laughter, a sadist's dream come true. A flash of light, a spray of blood, a chilling smile that would never be forgotten. Mocking existence, mocking life, the twist of form and psyche into something it was never meant to be. The daemons reached for her. Their claws closed about her.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she shrieked, lunging away, face twisting into a snarling grimace of frightened hostility. Tatters of Nai'ia's psyche still hung before her vision, distorting reality for a moment.  
  
"I.I'm sorry, Astra, you were screaming, I thought." Cord left it hanging, then blinked. "You're crying." and he stepped forward, reaching out with one hand.  
  
Nai'ia's lingering emotions boiled up inside Astraphobia. Hate, HATE! Don't let it touch you, it will hurt you, they always hurt, the hand hurts, it always does! Her coat and that deep violet hair would float and flare, hands clenching as she dropped into a crouch. Cord backpedaled swiftly as he felt the air charge with an impending psychic attack.  
  
"Astra!!"  
  
It stopped. Reality focused the way it should once more, and the Mewtwo sank to the ground, putting her head between her knees and breathing in practiced sets. Only after a few minutes of this did she speak, not moving.  
  
"I.I'm sorry Astra," Cord whispered, kneeling, "I didn't know you'd come out of it like that."  
  
"Neither did I," she growled, angry at having nearly been trapped by her opponent. "But I did learn some things. She's crazy alright, but there's something else. There's a psychic block in her mind, one Nai'ia didn't put there herself. Another psychic did. It's keeping me away from vital information, including the memory of what happened this morning. I'm wagering your pet project here is being used. Possibly outright controlled."  
  
"Mind control," Cord blinked, pulling the blanket over the motionless woman. "Can't you break it or block it out or something?"  
  
"Not unless I know who's doing it and even then, it's tricky," she sighed. "I'm not really trained for doing battle with psychics who are apparently used to this sort of thing. Whoever did this is damn good. I'm not really trained for this level of mental dueling." She smirked, raising her head weakly. "Something tells me I would do well to start learning."  
  
"So Nai'ia is innocent?"  
  
"More than likely. I sense power in her that isn't natural. From what I can gather of her memories she's been a living experiment. She came here trying to get away from them, which shows enough willingness to change that I won't turn the both of you in.just yet." She said that last part with a little smirk. Cord rubbed the back of his head nervously. He could never tell when Astra was trying to be funny or not.  
  
"And the reason why she can't talk?"  
  
"Now that," she got to her feet, straightening her trench and walking past him. She needed coffee. Lots of it."Is truly none of your business, Cord."  
  
----  
  
Taser had not slept for three days. It showed in the dullness of his eyes, in the droop of his wings, in the slump of his shoulders. He glared sourly at those assembled around the brushed aluminum table. All those pairs of eyes, looking at him so expectantly. Not as many as there should have been, however. While some of the support team hadn't been caught in the attack for some reason or another, they were still desperately shorthanded. Those remaining were counting on him. The last thing he'd wanted was this sort of responsibility, but there was one fact he couldn't escape.  
  
He was the one and only person aboard this entire station who had any idea how to run it.  
  
Thus Taser, at the tender age of sixteen, found himself a Captain. There was a slew of crisis to face, the heavy damage done to the bridge itself being only the beginning. He watched as a messy haired Tangela stood to address him. Tangelas never have a good hair day.  
  
"Communications are out, and the navigational controls have basically been fried into a sodden lump of melted metal. The engines themselves are alright, of course, but there's no way to operate them without some serious rewiring, which could take weeks even if we DID have the proper materials, which we don't. We're basically free floating. We could end up anywhere."  
  
Taser didn't say anything. He stared broodingly off into space. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be responsible for the lives of so many people.  
  
"Captain? Captain, what should we do?"  
  
Something caught his eye and he looked up, blinking those weary eyes. Beyond the table was a plate glass window, and peering through it, meeting his eyes, was Radish. She'd stayed by his side for these past few days, letting him weep and rage as he needed, being there when he needed contact or someone to talk to. For someone so damn flighty, she could be so solid when she needed to be. She nodded her head at him, motioning her hand towards the speaker and smiling gently, crimson eyes soft. Go on. Answer him.  
  
"We'll figure something out," he replied finally, bringing his eyes back to where they belonged. "I don't suppose we can cannibalize compatible parts from less essential areas of the ship?"  
  
"We'll look into it, Captain," the man nodded, sitting back down. A curvaceous little Vulpix stood to replace him, shuffling her papers nervously.  
  
"There is, of course, the issue of all the vacant crew positions," she began, "the ship isn't moving now but when it is, at minimum, we need a hundred and fifty people to keep it running smoothly.we're down to nineteen."  
  
"I'll take care of filling those positions with those I personally choose," he replied, resting his chin on his hand as she nodded and sat back down. A golden skinned, magenta haired Abra took the floor then. Taser blinked. He knew her, vaguely. Some kind of scientist, but he knew little about her.  
  
"The next supply ship isn't due for three months, and there are no incoming new immigrants slated for even longer. I don't think we can expect outside help, and the smaller ships we have in the dock were never meant to be taken for long distances. However," she continued, straightening her glasses, "The gravity generator, food gardens, air and water scrubbers, and main power are still online. I don't think anyone will be in any real danger as long as we pace things."  
  
"Earlier night cycles then, and start rationing food."  
  
"With all due respect, young Captain, I don't think everyone will like that," she smiled at him, berry glossed lips glistening under the harsh fluorescent lights. "Much of this ship is populated by the well to-do, and they won't take well to being told they can't have as much of whatever they like."  
  
"Unless they want to starve later, they can learn to live with it," Taser growled. "Start spreading the word. I don't want to waste anymore of anything, time or resources, than we already have. Now Ladies, Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me." he rose to his feet, folding his wings neatly behind him and heading for the door. The Abra rose as well, following him and catching him once he was outside the door.  
  
"Captain! A moment, if I may?"  
  
Taser sighed and paused, turning to meet the approaching woman.  
  
"Yes, Doctor?"  
  
"Please, I'm more of a scientist, really," she laughed, then peered at him. "My but don't you look terrible, Captain Taser!"  
  
"Why thank you, I love a good complement," he replied sarcastically.  
  
"Oh my no I didn't mean it detrimentally," she laughed, "But you do look like you could use some sleep, and you're very stressed. You know," she sighed then, tapping her chin with one carefully painted fingernail, "You don't have to have so much responsibility. You could merely be Captain as far as keeping the ship moving, and hand over the operations of all other things, all the tiresome decision making, over to someone else. It'd be so much easier on you that way, don't you think?"  
  
Taser sagged slightly at her words, casting his gaze to the floor. It WOULD be so much easier if he didn't have to do all this. Delegation of responsibility sounded so reasonable. Sure, his father had been able to run the ship, train him, and have a night life.but he wasn't his father, and this was just.just too much.she was right.he-  
  
"I think that with some rest and some practice he'll make a wonderful captain without having to shuffle anything," came a bright voice. The woman turned to regard the Rapidash with barely disguised disdain.  
  
"Well I do think that-"  
  
"OMIGOSH! LookitthetimeweweresupposedtomeetSerikeatthearcadelet'sgo!!" ::Radish bolted out, grabbing Taser's wrist and bounding down the hallway so fast that he began to leave a trail of feathers. The doctor was left in mid-protest. Then she simply straightened her coat and walked the opposite way down the hall. 


	5. RP Summary Session 5

"It's cold!" Matrix squealed and giggled as he scampered about on the gym pool steps, his tail fluffing out to twice its normal size as he shivered in brisk delight. Nai'ia smiled softly at him, carefully folding away her usual vinyl bodysuit away in a corner in exchange for a more appropriate bikini she'd quietly filched from one of the lockers. Endlessly azure skin shimmered delicately under the starlight that filtered in through the row of otherwise darkened windows. It was well after hours, and Nai'ia, after discovering her little Eevee couldn't swim, took it upon herself to teach him what was, to her, an essential skill. This was their third night performing such midnight lessons, and soon, she felt, she could take off those silly orange water wings he insisted on wearing.  
  
She remembered very little of the bridge incident, and it hardly mattered to her anyway. Her home in the condensation system hadn't been affected, after all, and Matrix was safe. That was all that really mattered wasn't it?  
  
Her legs did not make so much as a ripple as she slid gracefully into the water, starkissed liquid kissing at the streamlined curves of her hips. Matrix giggled again and made a leap from the stairs, landing with a raucous splash that utterly ruined the Vaporeon's masterful entrance into her element.she shook her head, eyes gentle and frosted lips curved into a smile as she reached for the splashing, flailing child. Odd how he seemed to forget all her teachings overnight. Patiently, she turned him about in the water, positioning him the way he should be, pausing to give him a tender touch along one babysoft cheek.  
  
Matrix cooed, then at her signal, dutifully kicked his legs. She let go of him and soon he was paddling mightily around the pool, soaked ears and tail trailing heavily in his wake. She would stand back to watch him.then one ear-fin caught the sound of Cord just outside and she sighed. She would stay put, however, unless the Dragonair decided to come inside. If he wanted to supervise, that was his business.she trusted him enough in that tiny measure.  
  
Cord was indeed watching, though he had no idea Nai'ia knew this. He wasn't sure why he'd followed them.perhaps just to make sure Matrix was going to be alright with the strange woman. He smiled softly, watching his new little brother laugh and splash about. He considered going in.perhaps Nai'ia would learn not to fear him?  
  
"Not going in?"  
  
Cord nearly leapt right out of his coat, whirling about with a snap of pale hair. Voluptuous women were just abounding as of late, it would seem. Tiny, round glasses perched before warm purple, vertically pupiled eyes. Her hair appeared nearly black in the low lighting, but showed hint of magenta as it flashed with her motion. Cord could have sworn he'd seen her before. He'd at least passed her, in halls and even, he thought, once at the arcade, but he wasn't certain.  
  
"I.don't think I will be, no," he blinked, watching her. She watched right back, threading her hands behind her back. "Do I.know you?"  
  
"Would you like to get to know me?" she replied, coming..rather close and gazing up at him with a sweet smile of glimmering, carefully glossed tiers. Cord blinked. The woman was well endowed, with shapely hips and graceful limbs, and just a hint of a spicy-sweet scent that made his head fuzz pleasantly. Dead gorgeous woman. Hitting on him. Without him even having to try. What would Serike say?  
  
"Is this a trick question?"  
  
The woman laughed. Cord winced, glancing back towards the poolroom window. She was going to scare Nai'ia off!  
  
"Don't worry, she can't hear me," the Abra chuckled, catching Cord's chin and gently moving his gaze back to her.  
  
"She can't?" he blinked in confusion, then frowned. Abra were psychic.Astra said she's run across another psychic's work while diving into Nai'ia's mind.  
  
"She's quite obedient, she only hears and sees what I want her to, when I want her to, you know."  
  
"You!" he gasped, taking a step back, "You're the one who's controlling Nai'ia..you made her attack the bridge, didn't you?!" The Abra smirked, canting her head quite fetchingly at him.  
  
"You catch on quickly," she purred, approaching him again, closing the space between them. She liked to stand rather close, it would seem. "Don't worry, I won't let her get hurt. She's too important right now.her fingers walked up his chest teasingly and Cord swallowed hard.  
  
"Why.I mean.what are you doing this for? Why did you destroy the bridge?"  
  
"Because I want this station, and I hardly think they were going to hand it over to me," she replied with a shrug.  
  
"Why are you even telling me this?" Cord murmured, brows drawing. "I could turn you in, easily. You're a murderer."  
  
"Technically, the Vaporeon is the murderer, and you like her too much to give her to the authorities," she smiled again, "and you won't turn me in, because you're going to help me in my little pet project here."  
  
"Oh I am, am I?" Cord growled, trying to step away again, but the woman wrapped her arms about him and he stopped in his tracks, heart pounding as he felt the lushness of her body right through his clothing. "And.and why am I going to help you?"  
  
"Because I know you, Cord," she trilled pleasantly, giving him a bit of a squeeze. "You care nothing for those not directly associated with you.what would YOU care what happens to them? And besides." here she leaned up, standing on tiptoes to just barely reach her lips towards one winged ear. "I will give you pleasures beyond your greatest fantasies if you do help me. I want you, in more than one way. I've been watching you for some time now.you harbor power enough to make people respect you, should you choose to use it.why not put that power of yours to use.?"  
  
Cord trembled, swallowing again, his mind fogging with the thought-stealing mists of carnal desire. It was true.what DID he care what happened to people he didn't know? And besides, now that the crew was so decimated, perhaps it would be for the best if someone besides some half-trained, sixteen year old bird brain were to be in charge. And if he did this, he could have.her.  
  
A sudden thought slashed through his haze and he started, grimacing down at her and firmly removing her arms from about him.  
  
"Fine, I'll do it, but on my terms," he demanded, narrowing his eyes at her. A moment of suppressed anger flashed over the Abra's face, then that sweet smile was back.  
  
"And.what are those, if you please?"  
  
"First, I don't want to be just some lackey," he started, watching her carefully. "When all is said and done, I want a piece of the power, and nothing negligible, either. Real weight. Second, I don't want my family to get hurt. Leave them the hell alone. Third."  
  
"Third?" she prompted after his hesitation.  
  
"Third.I want the first thing you offered. Lots of it."  
  
She blinked, then threw back her head, revealing that graceful, golden throat as she laughed.  
  
"Very well then, I think those are all terms that can be.arranged. I'll see you again then, Cord." the curvaceous beauty turned about then, walking away with a measured, confident stride, her hips swaying. Cord blinked, then called out.  
  
"Wait! What's your name?" The woman stopped and peered over her shoulder, lush lashes hooding those shimmering eyes.  
  
"Magdalena," she replied..and she was gone.  
  
---  
  
It was impossible to tell the difference between true sunlight and the artificial simulation the residential deck generated. Golden threads of ever shifting brilliance slanted in to warm the room with dappled patterns along the floor. The faceted suncatcher in the window caught those beams, throwing its stained glass image of a sapphire, spread winged bird onto the floor. Its beauty was lost on Taser, who stood near the window, one hand toying with the pale azure hair that fell along one cheek, gazing pensively out at the shattered command center in the distance.  
  
He'd had all of his father's belongings packed away and taken out of sight. He didn't want to be constantly reminded of his loss even here at home. His mother had died years ago, and now he was truly an orphan. They'd fought so much when he was here.their last words were spoken in anger.  
  
"Don't dwell," came a soft voice from behind him, just as a pale hand reached past him to close the drapes over the scene of that broken bridge. "Now come, you need more than just coffee for breakfast, hnn?"  
  
Radish. He'd of course, let her have his bed, while he'd been sleeping on the couch for the past week, despite her protests. He didn't mind, although it did cramp his wings something horrible. He had to be a gentleman, after all. Taser turned slightly to look at her. She hadn't bothered to go by her dormitory yet and pick up fresh clothes, so she was wearing some of his own. Besides having huge holes in the back meant for wings, they were far too big for the little Rapidash, and had a tendency to hide her hands and slip over her shoulder, not to mention seriously slow down her sprinting. He couldn't even see her hooves with all that fabric bunched up about her feet. Still, it had a charming appeal.  
  
"I'll be fine, I don't need half as much energy as you do," he chuckled, setting the coffee mug aside on an end table and turning to face her. She didn't seem happy with that answer, befreckled face scrunching, but she said nothing more, leaning against the back of the couch and canting her head at him.  
  
"How did things go today?" she asked, crossing her ankles and blinking those large, crimson eyes curiously.  
  
"We've almost got communications up again," he replied almost absently, his own, somewhat darker red eyes wandering over her frame. Such a strange creature, this. They'd barely known one another, and only through the occasional trip to the ice cream shop or duel in the arcade. They had been more rivals than anything, as the Articuno struggled to reclaim all his high scores. (He always, ALWAYS lost to her in the dancing sim, there was just no way to keep up!) Yet the moment he'd been in trouble, she was there. She had pulled him from his own personal darkness and caught him each time he began to fall back into it. She'd remained with him all this time so he wouldn't have to face this radically changed world of his all alone.  
  
"What?" she asked quietly after realizing he'd fallen silent, staring at her.  
  
"N.nothing," he replied, bowing his head, azure mane falling into shadowed eyes. He felt a soft touch to his cheek then, as Radish stood and moved to him, making him look to her. Her eyes were soft, a slight smile playing across her face.  
  
"Hey," she murmured softly, "Everything's going to be okay, alright? You just have to keep moving forward."  
  
"Yeah," he sighed, trying to give her a grin. "Maybe it will, Radish." He didn't know what came over him then, but he found his arms sliding about that slender form, profile lowering towards her slightly shocked own.  
  
Pain twinged out from his forehead and he jerked back with a little grunt, blinking in bewilderment, rubbing at the spot. Radish blushed furiously, her snowy skin doing nothing to help at all, and tried, unsuccessfully, to hide a giggle. Her horn had rather painfully interrupted the impending kiss.  
  
"I'm sorry!" she laughed, fingering the offending ornament. "It.it can be a bother, can't it?"  
  
"A challenge," he chuckled.perhaps for the first time in a week. "But nothing I can't overcome." A bit more of a tilt of the head would be needed then, and this time, their lips connected. She was as warm as he was cool, cerulean tresses mingling with her ever shifting, flame like mane. It would be brief, but strangely sweet, and they'd both pull away breathing a bit heavier.  
  
"Thank you," he sighed, "for everything. I can't have done this without you."  
  
She smiled, still blushing terrifically.but she certainly hadn't minded.  
  
"You're welcome, Taser," she beamed, reaching up to curiously trace his cheek. He did feel cool. Not cold, certainly, but cooler than she'd expect. He grinned softly and tapped her horn, then stepped away, plucking up his shirt as he went.  
  
"Before those damned council members come hunt me down, why don't we go to the arcade and see if I can't beat your score at Space Captain Amano, hnn? And maybe we can swing by your place and get you some clothes that fit. It'd be a real shame if those pants kept you from running over your daily quota of bystanders, hnn?"  
  
Radish giggled, her blush slowly fading as she hitched up the clothing in question, following him out the door. 


	6. RP Summary Session 6

Cord was a little nervous about stepping back into the Inne Somnia, knowing Astra would be there. He needed to practice a bit more at keeping Magdalena out of his surface thoughts before doing that, and so he'd end up spending more time down at the gym instead of the coffee shop. Serike, unfazed by the results of their last spar, was bouncing around the larger boy, trying to tease him, unsuccessfully, into another spar. Matrix perched adorably on a bench, swinging his sneakered feet and licking messily at an ice cream cone.  
  
Suddenly those big ears perked, and he slid off the bench, handing the ice cream cone to a bewildered Serike. Cord looked up and blinked. Silhouetted in the frosted glass of the door was a Vaporeon. But surely Nai'ia wouldn't be so bold as to come out at the peak of the day? Matrix hopped and strained to reach the door handle, then pulled it open with some effort.  
  
"Awwwa!!" his expectant expression fell away and his large brown eyes shimmered. "You're not Nai'ia!" he pouted, stepping back as the stranger swept inside.  
  
He wore a dark brown trench coat (popular around here, ne?) and rather than Nai'ia's sapphire mane, his was a ruddy color caught back in a long ponytail at the back of his neck.  
  
" 'ello," he greeted in a slightly accented voice, "Might I have a word with you two?"  
  
Cord blinked, his tail curling nervously as the man produced a badge and credentials, flashing them briefly before tucking them away again.  
  
"Name's Dawson," he smiled warmly, extending his hand. Serike was the one who took it, brows raised in bewilderment. "I'm here from Earth t' investigate the murders, most especially of the late Captain of this ship."  
  
"Cool! All the way from home, eh?" Serike grinned, "You gotta gun, right? Hey lemmee see it!"  
  
"Eh heh, it's no toy, young man!" he held up his hands, stepping away from the exuberant Jolteon. "Now let's be serious, I need t' know if you two've seen anythin' odd around here lately."  
  
"No, nothing at all," Cord replied smoothly, his heart beating fast now, though he tried to look cool.  
  
"Nah, I mean, besides the actual accident or whatever it was," Ri concurred, shrugging. "But hey, if you're here, I guess that means communications are working again! That's great, cuz I need to go make a few calls."  
  
"It was no accident, friend," Dawson shook his head and sighed, then blinked as the little Eevee began to giggle. Something pink was tickling at the child. He stepped aside with a sigh, revealing a tiny, tiny woman not much bigger than Matrix, with pink hair and large blue eyes. She was poking at the boy with her tail and giggling right along with him!  
  
"Jessie!"  
  
"SIR!" the woman hopped up straight as a rod, saluting sharply.  
  
"Stay on task, this is serious," he chided, whisking his fluke back and forth, then turned back to the boys. Jessie floated up behind Dawson's head and made mocking faces at his back. Cord blinked. Floating? Ah yes, she was a Mew! He stiffened slightly, swallowing hard. He needed to get out of here. Just what he needed, another powerful psychic to potentially pick his brain. It would look awfully suspicious to just flee, however, and he found himself rooted to the spot. The Mew, however, didn't seem to notice him at all, having turned back to teasing Matrix with her tail. The little child tried to catch it, giggling. Dawson just sighed and rolled his eyes at his assistant. "Very well then, thank you, young sirs, an' you have a good day!"  
  
Cord had never been so relieved to see someone leave.  
  
"So," Serike grinned, bouncing his way back in front of Cord, "About that spar."  
  
"No, Ri," Cord sighed, rubbing at his temples. "Not today."  
  
"Awwwa, come on Blueballs!!" Serike had to dodge rather fast to avoid getting cracked upside the head by the Dragonair's baubled tail.  
  
"You know, Serike, that old joke stopped being funny back when I was ten," he growled irritably, then blinked as Matrix reached up and took his hand. "Ugh, your hands are all sticky from that ice cream," he chuckled, reaching down to pluck the child into his arms.  
  
"I had chocolate!" Matrix nodded sagely. Serike quietly chunked the by now melted cone in the trash.  
  
"I can see that," Cord murmured softly, poking the little Eevee's nose. "Let's go get you cleaned up, hmm?"  
  
"Okay!" Matrix grinned, then wiggled his fingers at Serike. "Bai bai Ri Ri!" he peeped cheerfully as Cord toted him off towards the men's room to be cleaned up.  
  
Cord was just finishing up with wiping down the squirmy ice cream fiend when the room shuddered, the bathroom mirrors shivering and threatening to crack in their moldings. Matrix squealed, trying to stay balanced on his perch on the edge of the sink. Cord put him down, then bolted out of the bathroom, casting about wildy for the source of the blast.  
  
The first surprise was that Nai'ia was out and about. What was she doing here? The second surprise was that she was killing Serike. The poor Jolteon was pinned to the wall, his toes several feet off the ground, his body pinned there by a forceful column of endless water that was rushing forth from Nai'ia's hands. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips peeled back in a snarl, tail stiff and fluke spread aggressively.  
  
"Nai'ia!" he cried in horror, coming as close as he dared to the enraged Vaporeon. "Nai'ia stop!! You're going to kill him!" he knew that was a ridiculous thing to state.she obviously WANTED to kill him. Serike struggled uselessly against the inexorable force, trying to get his head out into the air. If he wasn't crushed to death, he'd certainly drown.  
  
"Nai'ia! Please stop, he's my friend!" he begged. The Jolteon was a nuisance at times, but Cord rather liked the little spark.and besides, Dawson hadn't been gone for very long.if he'd heard the crash, there was a possibility he might come back. He had to think fast. Matrix was still huddled under the sink in the men's room but. "Nai'ia, calm down.! Please.Matrix is here..you don't want him to witness a murder, do you? To know you as a violent person? Would you thrust that knowledge on him? Please, for his sake, Nai'ia, stop!!"  
  
Nai'ia faltered, the apparently sourceless stream of water thinning slightly at the mention of her beloved little Eevee.  
  
"Come on, Nai'ia," he coaxed softly, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other. "Let him go.let him go."  
  
The woman's face softened, the water cutting off rather suddenly. Serike fell to the floor on his hands and knees, coughing and gasping, soaked blonde spikes falling into his face. Nai'ia didn't give him a second look. She simply walked away, and Cord watched after a moment before kneeling beside Serike.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked softly.  
  
"I think I've broken a few ribs," he gasped, crossing his arms over his chest. "Who the hell was that? I couldn't hear through the water to tell what you were saying, but thanks for talkin' her down, man.I thought I was going to die there."  
  
"Let's get you to the medical ward. What did you do to provoke her, anyway?"  
  
"Nothin' much," he grinned weakly, "Just a friendly pat on the bottom was all."  
  
"Serike?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You're a bigger idiot than you know."  
  
"I'm pretty sure I have an idea now." he chuckled, then winced as Cord helped him to his feet. "But I tell you what, she was one helluva babe. Almost worth dying for."  
  
"You're hopeless," Cord chuckled.  
  
----  
  
What a place, Dawson thought as he headed down the street. It looked just as though he were walking down any other street, in any other neighborhood. Sunshine shone merrily down from a cloud dappled, blue sky. Shop keepers swept their front steps or offered passerby samples, children chased one another on the sidewalks, women chatted happily over tea as they sat at umbrella covered tables. The only things missing were cars and pollution. There was no greenery, however, and the enormous support struts and occasional wall were stark reminders of where he really was; in the belly of some enormous, drifting metal beast, with Earth left so very far behind. Nonetheless, it was a utopia for many.  
  
And prison for some, he also noted as he passed an obscene reminder scrawled in bright paint on a district wall. Already, the automatic maintenance system was scrubbing away at it with tiny mechanical brushes. Even so, it was still a reminder that class warfare was still alive, even in Utopia. With that incident at the bridge, there might even be warfare of a different kind. The work had obviously been done by a Water, and if more occurrences were to follow, paranoia and hatred could take their course. It was not a pretty prospect, especially in such an enclosed space as a ship. But insofar, things seemed quiet, and he'd not yet run across evidence of finger-pointing.  
  
"A'ight Jessie, what've we got so fa'?" he murmured, trying to keep his mind where it belonged.  
  
"Hnn," the Mew floating along beside him scratched her head, peering at a data pad held in her other tiny hand. "Just what we already knew before we got here, Boss," she replied. "Three hundred and seventeen dead, at final count, and no witnesses."  
  
"Drowned?"  
  
"Not many of them, I'm afraid," Jessie replied, making a face. "Apparently the sheer force of the deluge crushed most of them or impaled them on the resulting debris. Those who weren't killed that way seemed to have been finished off anyway when the water struck their main power grid. Something was wrong with the insulation, but the pipe was too mangled to perform any kind of analysis. For all we know it was intentionally cut to produce just that kind of effect. Also, there were definite traces of elemental energy."  
  
"Surely it would've taken more than just one person t' create that kind of destruction. P'raps more'n a few at that. I don't like what that points to."  
  
"Terrorists on board, sir?"  
  
"No," he replied thoughtfully, pausing at a food stand to peruse the goods. "Terrorists have demands and causes. This was just too quiet. Somethin' else is going on. Jessie, why don't we-"  
  
"Oooh, cheesecake on a stick!!" Jessie crooned, floating to a different stand with an excited squeal. Dawson sighed. The Mew was easily distracted, something not too uncommon for her type. But she was good where it counted, and had saved his tail fin more than a few times.  
  
He turned away from Jessie's happy discoveries and gazed out across the street to a playground. It was nearly empty, save for a few toddlers and their watchful parents, but something else caught his eye. Something was skulking about behind the playground fence. Maybe he was just averse to people prone to sneaking about, but he felt the urge to investigate anyway.  
  
Nai'ia pressed her hands to the metal slatted fence, watching the children play with a kind of forlorn wistfulness. Matrix was not among them today, but she would get to see her little Eevee later, she knew. Slender, gloved hands fell away from the fence with a sigh as she turned to leave.and suddenly there was a flurry of motion before her, something falling from atop the fence to face her. Her eyes widened. He was.  
  
"Stop right there!" he cried, and that was all she needed. She hissed defiantly.even hatefully.at him, then turned and bolted. The man blinked, then gave chase, reaching for her. "Stop, I only want to-"  
  
He'd be cut off quickly as she paused unexpectedly and spun, pounding him soundly with her tail and sending him into the fence with enough force to bend it. He groaned, sitting up and shaking his head, then hopped right back up to his feet, staggering only briefly before running after her again.  
  
And he'd find himself flat on his back again, this time after running into something large and rather solid. After the stars cleared, he sat up, blinking. It was the boy from the gym.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that," Dawson apologized, grimacing. There was no way he'd catch her now, but he had to try. He got back up and tried to walk past the Dragonair.only to have the boy take his arm.  
  
"Please don't," he said, giving the detective a cool look from beyond falling, colorless forelocks.  
  
"D'you know that woman?" Dawson asked, taking back his arm and straightening his coat. Ugh, now his head hurt.  
  
"She's my sister," he replied, "I'm sorry she hit you, but you did kind of scare the hell out of her, pouncing down on her like that. Why were you bothering her, anyway?"  
  
Dawson sensed a bit of danger and took a step back, frowning. He'd already taken a few lumps and didn't particularly feel like being pummeled by a damn near seven foot tall guy for suspecting a relative of his.  
  
"I didn't mean to scare her, but she was behavin' a bit suspiciously. She always do that? Hide behind things, I mean?"  
  
"She's shy," came the uncomfortable reply.  
  
"I see," Dawson frowned, eyeing the uneasy teen. "Say, I don't mean anythin' by it, but y' sister's a Water type, so I've just gotta ask, where was she the day of the attack?"  
  
"You suspect my sister?" those dark eyes narrowed, his large frame suddenly looming, and Dawson took another step back. The woman had been acting strangely, and people didn't usually simply run away from him, shy or otherwise.  
  
"I've just gotta ask, please, I don't want any trouble, I jus' wanna do my job!"  
  
The Dragon furrowed his brow briefly, then shrugged.  
  
"She was with me, at a local coffee shop, Inne Somnia," he replied.  
  
"Can you provide proof of that?"  
  
"That's a stupid question, of course I can't," the boy smirked. "I don't keep receipts that long, and anyway, it wouldn't prove anything other than I myself was there at that time. But we were there with a third party, Astra, a Mewtwo. Ask her, if you need another opinion. She can usually be found there. Ask around, someone will know where she is. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go home."  
  
"Well then, thank you very much f' y' time," Dawson nodded, watching him sweep past, the wind from that voluminous black coat rustling the Vaporeon's rust colored hair.  
  
"You're suspicious, aren't you?" came a chirp from behind him. Dawson had gotten so used to the Mew's abrupt comings and goings he couldn't even be startled anymore.  
  
"The way she hit me was odd," he replied. "It was almost as though she were trained."  
  
"Any idiot can smack another idiot through a wall with the right tail, yanno! And the people here are big on fights, it keeps them occupied. I would imagine she IS trained."  
  
"Thank you," he grumbled, giving her an acid glare. "I don't know, Jessie, something's trippin' off m' instincts, here. I definitely want to interrogate that one."  
  
"I'll bring the aspirin then!" his assistant giggled. "You're gonna need it once her big brother there gets done with you if you go near her again!"  
  
"Well then, we'll just have to make sure he's not around," Dawson grinned up at the levitating little woman.  
  
"How are you even going to find her again?" Jessie asked with a swish of that long, whiplike tail.  
  
"It's just a ship, Jessie, an enclosed space. A big ship, but a ship. How hard could it possibly be?" 


	7. RP Summary Session 7

(Author's Note: It came to my attention that this chapter somehow misloaded.thus Chapter Eight made no sense. The issue has been fixed. Here's Chapter Seven as it should be!)  
  
"A what?" Taser blinked across the table at his Rapidash companion. The two were separated by a large, lumpy concoction of five flavors of ice cream drowned in hot fudge and butterscotch. Radish had to peer around it to reply, grinning, her ears pricked excitedly.  
  
"Hold a youth dance! Everyone's under so much stress, it'll do them good to get out and just have fun for once, and gives us girls an excuse to dress up."  
  
"It sounds silly to me," Taser grumbled, poking his spoon at a half-buried cherry that had gotten lost in a melted swirl of strawberry and fudge. "I'm far too busy for such nonsense, anyway."  
  
"You won't have to do anything! Sorcha and I will gather a committee andwe'lldoeverythingforyouwe'lldecorateandmakethepostersnadorganizeeverythin gwe'llneedand." Taser sighed. When she started talking like that he knew she was excited over SOMETHING.  
  
"If you're doing everything then what do you need me for? I can just as easily work while this is happening. If it's permission you're looking for, fine."  
  
"Absolutely not!" Radish cried, leveling her own spoon at him with an imperious expression. "If anyone on this station needs to relax it's you, Taser. You're going to go back to being just a plain old teenager again, even if it's just for one night. Besides," she gave him a mischievous expression. "I need a date, don't I?" Taser coughed on the cherry he'd been nibbling on. Radish just giggled, resting her chin on one hand. "If you're finished, let's go to the arcade!"  
  
Geh, the arcade. She'd been bugging him about it since he actually trumped her score on Space Captain Amano. He'd been avoiding the place, knowing that if she got anywhere near that game, his score would be gone. He was running out of excuses though. He glared sourly at the uneaten mess of frozen sugar in front of them and sighed.  
  
"Alright, we'll go," he muttered, climbing to his feet with a brief stretching of wings. Radish giggled and tugged playfully at one pinion, then darted away into the hall. "Radish, wait for." he sighed, smirking helplessly, ".me."  
  
"OOF!" Cord gasped as the comet struck him just short of the arcade doors. He stumbled back a step before recognizing the cheerful little speed freak Sorcha and Astra sometimes hung out with. "Ah, Radish!" he grinned, rubbing his chest, "What an honor to be trampled by you again."  
  
"Again?" she blinked those large crimson eyes in bewilderment, then clasped her hands and hopped up and down, pleading. "Do you have a token? I reallyreallyreallyneedatokenTaserbeatmeatTHEgamethereallyimportantoneandIgot tagetmyscorebackbutIleftallmychangeathomeohpleaseohpleaseohpleasegimmeatoken !!"  
  
Cord held up his hands and leaned back, grimacing.  
  
"Alright alright!" he cried, one hand digging in his coat pocket to fish out a silver coin. "Here, before you hurt yourself!"  
  
"Ohthankyouthankyouthankyousomuch! Wheee!" she giggled and bounded past him, leaving behind a trail of indignant squawks and cries as she made a beeline for the game in question. Cord shook his head and chuckled, leaning against the wall and gazing out across the hall towards a distant viewport, watching the stars hang motionless. The engines were still out, after all.  
  
"A beautiful thing, the void.don't you think?" purred a familiar voice beside him. Cord didn't bother glancing.  
  
"Hello, Doctor," he murmured, tail tip curling slightly.  
  
"The station is coming back together rather quickly, isn't it?" Magdalena mused, "a bit too quickly, I don't think I'm quite ready. The young Captain has proven himself more capable than I'd like."  
  
"So why not just kill him?" Cord shrugged. It seemed a simple enough solution to him, and he was tired of all these intrigues.  
  
"Silly boy!" she laughed lightly, reaching up a golden skinned hand to brush one cobalt cheek. "I can lift knowledge from people's minds, but not skill. I do need someone to handle this magnificent piece of machinery for me. The tragic prince would be so perfect were he still so very broken over his recent misfortunes and sudden burdens. I do so hate to devastate the child again, but he has to remain malleable."  
  
"Devastate him again?" Cord frowned, finally giving her a wary look, one pale brow raised. "Just what did you have in mind?"  
  
Berry-black lips curved in a sweet smile, warm amethyst eyes fairly glittering with some unfathomable glee as she caught one of Cord's silky locks between two fingers.  
  
"I want to take away his strength," she giggled, stepping away slightly to glance into the arcade.  
  
Cord had opened his mouth to speak again when there was a sudden, profound blast accompanied by a flash of light and shrieks from the gamers within. Astra stood calmly, magenta locks blowing furiously over her face as bits and pieces of debris sailed from the door. Cord's heart sank and he stepped forward, eyes wide with horror. She didn't.  
  
"I did," she chuckled softly, taking his arm to stop him. "You don't want to go in there, dear."  
  
"But Radish."  
  
"Where do your loyalties lie, Cord?" she smiled, and Cord realized to his dismay that this was as much a test for him as it was anything else. Winged ears fell down and he sighed, bowing his head slightly. Who was Radish to him anyway? He barely knew her. He had his own family to worry about. Magdalena smiled, taking his hand and drawing him away. "Come now, we'll let this unpleasant little incident play itself out without us. We can find other.entertainments while waiting for the dust to settle.I do believe we had a deal, after all, Cord."  
  
"Yes," he sighed, his eyes lingering on the smoking arcade door, ears laying back at the shouts and cries from within. He would have to learn to ignore them.could he ever fully shut them out?  
  
He'd have to learn. Quickly.  
  
He simply turned away.  
  
---  
  
Nai'ia, despite her encounter with the other Vaporeon, had returned to the playground. Matrix would be there this time, and for once, he wasn't off playing by himself. A little girl his age, with silvery hair and large, indigo-blue eyes was romping about with him. Nai'ia smiled. If she made Matrix happy, then she was pleased enough. Quietly, she would settle behind her fence, away from the unwelcome eyes of passerby, to watch over her Eevee. She knew Cord had to be nearby, and that he was more than capable of looking after Matrix without her help, but.she felt it her place, nonetheless.  
  
Matrix had gotten rather good at telling when she was around. Those large ears twitched and his eyes brightened. He simply knew. One small hand closed about his companions and he began to tug her off towards the fence behind which Nai'ia sat.  
  
Nai'ia blinked as she realized he was bringing the little girl over to her.  
  
Sure enough, Matrix looped around the edge of the fence and clambered over a thick pipe, helping his companion over after him.  
  
"Nai'ia!" He chirped happily, flying into her waiting arms and snuggling soundly. She stroked his hair and ears affectionately, then gave him a questioning look. The little boy obliged.  
  
"Nai'ia, this is Dawn, she's my new friend!" he introduced with such seriousness that Nai'ia just had to smile. "Dawn, this is Nai'ia, she helps Cord take care of me, and she taught me how to swim! She doesn't talk, but she's really nice!"  
  
The silvery little girl kept her head down, scuffing one toe shyly at the ground as she mumbled something that might have been a hello.  
  
"Dun' be scared, she won't hurt you!" Matrix frowned, squirming free and scampering back to her. "Nai'ia never hurts me, she won't hurt you either!" He took her hand and tugged the reluctant child over. Nai'ia lowered her head, trying to peer up into the little one's face.then finally used her fluke, putting it gently under the girl's chin and lifting it so she could see.  
  
Dawn had the biggest, most soulful, most innocent eyes she had ever seen, and the most beautiful violet-silver skin that shimmered in the light. She also had bruises on her face. Nai'ia's fists clenched, eyes narrowing. One slender, vinyl clad finger reached out to gently trace over one of the darkened spots. The girl flinched away, lowering her eyes.  
  
"I fell," she whimpered in automatic explanation, clasping her hands behind her back. Nai'ia shook her head, her eyes still darkened. She might have to go see just who was doing this to her.  
  
Just then, Cord began calling for Matrix. The little boy's ears twitched again and he sighed.  
  
"Awwa.I gotta go, Dawn, play with you tomorrow?" he asked eagerly, his fluffy tail wagging back and forth. Dawn smiled and nodded, and Nai'ia withdrew from her, thoughtful. The two children began to pick there way back out from behind the fence, and Nai'ia watched them go with a troubled expression.  
  
She would have to see.  
  
---  
  
Dawson nibbled industriously at the end of his stylus, ruddy brows drawn as he studied his datapad. First the murder of the Captain and crew, and now a seemingly random accident at a local teen gathering. A video game had shattered violently, sending some poor girl to the hospital near death with large shards of casing and screen in her chest. They could be utterly unrelated.but he had his suspicions, due to rumors that the girl had associations with Taser, the Captain's son and insofar, his only stand-in. Jessie had insisted upon inspecting the site, however, that there was no possible way the game could have burst like that on its own in the fashion it had. Yet it had been clean of anything pointing towards a bomb.  
  
"No chemical traces?"  
  
"No Sir."  
  
"No sign of outside causes?"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
"Perhaps stranger forces had done it?"  
  
"Not that I could sense," she frowned, hovering in front of him upside down, her tail ticking in front of her nose. "A really, REALLY good psychic can hide his traces, however."  
  
"I need hard evidence, Jess'," he sighed, gnawing even harder on the stylus. "We've been here too long an' gathered too little. Maybe we should take what small evidence we have in for analysis back home an' come back if we find anything."  
  
"Please don't break that, sir, we've only got two, and they're expensive!" Jess pleaded, pointing to the abused stylus. Dawson blinked and took it from between his teeth with a sheepish look.  
  
"Let's do that, shall we Jess'? I do hate t' break an investigation int' parts, but I think we'll make an exception."  
  
"You know best, Boss!" the Mew grinned, flipping right side up. "I'll miss those cheesecake bites on a stick though." 


	8. RP Summary Session 8

Everything had been going so well. Now, all came to a standstill. Taser would not go to meetings, he would not answer questions, he would not give commands. He only haunted the hospital wing, unable to even see his little Rapidash after he pulled rank to set the best of the best to working on her. He'd caught up with the fleet footed creature far too late, and to discover only horror. She'd been so covered in blood.there was just so much of it.the images still drifted before his vision, and he shook his head, sinking his face into his hands. Radish told him not to dwell on things. But what of this? What did he do now? He didn't feel like going on.it just wasn't right.this wasn't fair, damn it! Why did everything and everyone he cares for have to be taken away from him?  
  
"Stop it," came a disgusted voice. "If you care about her you'll actually take her advice and move on, whether she lives or dies. Selfish self pity is just that.selfish."  
  
"What the hell do you know, Astra," he whispered, sinking into a chair, his wings arched over him as though to hide him from the world. "What are you doing here, anyway?"  
  
"Radish is my friend," she shrugged, hiding her hands in her coat pockets and shaking back her hair briefly. "But I also came to see if Sorcha might be here. She's missing."  
  
"The blonde?" he snorted, wrinkling his nose, "check the shopping district."  
  
"I did," the Mewtwo growled, her eyes hardening. "She's not anywhere to be found, and believe me, I can find nearly anyone. I can't even feel her mind, and it has me worried. Especially after what's happened here."  
  
There would be no reply. Taser sunk his face back into his hands and fell silent. He just didn't care. He knew some part of him wanted to.but it was buried deep under layers of grief and fear. Astra sighed and turned away with a soft flare of inky coat.  
  
"Alright, Taser, I'll leave you alone," she muttered, "and I do hope Radish is alright. But I know where she is and what's happening to her, for good or ill. I can't say the same for Sorcha. If you see her.send someone to let me know."  
  
Taser was still for a few long moments.then sighed, curling in on himself.  
  
It would be three days before he was finally approached by a rather puzzled looking surgeon.  
  
"Your friend is awake," he told the boy. Relief flashed over Taser in cool waves, and he sprang to his feet. "She keeps asking if she got the high score."  
  
"Radish.!" he laughed, shaking his head. A one track mind even after all this. With the man's guidance, he'd find his way to her room.  
  
Radish's vision was bleary and overly bright. Shapes had no edges, and colors drifted freely into one another. Her chest hurt horribly, and it was difficult to draw breath. She did not remember much of anything, aside from a tearing pain, blood in her mouth, and sudden darkness. Where she was or just what had happened were both distant things. Taser.  
  
No sooner had she thought that name than she caught a large blur of varied shades of blue in her tortured sight. It had to be.and she tested his name brokenly, smiling as best she could.  
  
She could not see it of course, but Taser smiled back, settling beside her with a great sigh.  
  
"Well?" he asked the doctor quietly.  
  
"She should be alright, with rest. The wounds were serious but fairly clean, easily repairable with today's technology. The flash burned her retinas a bit, but that too will clear up."  
  
"Did I.win?" Radish whispered. Her white skin was an unhealthy shade of pale grey, but there was light yet in her face. Stubborn little girl, she refused to die, or even be down for long. She couldn't quite bring herself to sit up, but he could tell she wanted to, and badly.  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, you did," he murmured, brushing back that mussed mane of flame hued hair.  
  
"I'm still going to the dance, you know," she warned softly, "Even if I have to wear a chunky dress to hide the scars."  
  
"I don't know if you'll have to do that," Taser chuckled, "these are very good surgeons, they'll make it to where you'll hardly scar at all, I promise. Between them and the drugs, and you just being Radish, you'll be on your feet in mere weeks."  
  
"Yeah," she smiled, closing her eyes and nestling back into the bedding. She did not open them again. Taser leaned over to kiss her cheek softly, getting back to his feet. He felt relieved, happy, but.almost ashamed. He felt as though he had failed her in some measure. He'd realized when this had happened that she was all he had.she was the only person who still harbored any real feeling for him, and despite his screw ups, she would continue to care about him.and this meant more to him than he could put into words. "Good night, Radish," he sighed, stepping quietly out.  
  
Sorcha would be found at last, curled and nearly lifeless in some alley. She'd be rushed to the same hospital, where all attempts to wake her failed. The girl had inexplicably slipped into a deep coma. The blonde bore no wounds, no concussions, and there was no sign of poison, yet she remained all but lifeless. Astra, made even grimmer than usual by the fall of not one but two of her friends, would be there quickly to see to her immediately. This was all just too strange.  
  
Radish was up by then, despite protests from Taser and doctors alike. She could not yet leave the hospital, but she refused to lay back down until she'd gotten to see the poor Ninetails.  
  
"I don't understand, Astra, WHY won't she wake up?" Radish whimpered tearfully as she sat at the foot of Sorcha's bed, petting those sadly tangled tails.  
  
"I'm not sure," Astra murmured, gazing intently at the girl's lifeless face. "And the doctors aren't either, which makes me wonder."  
  
"Wonder what?" Radish asked softly, combing through still another tail with her fingers. She didn't want Sorcha to wake up and find her precious tails in such disarray!  
  
"Nothing," she sighed, settling into a nearby stool, her brows drawn in consternation. Something simply wasn't right here. She had to know.she just had to.those molten amethysts closed, body going still as she tentatively began to probe at the downed girl's mind.  
  
Something was there.  
  
And it was familiar.  
  
The same signature that had marred Nai'ia's mind was here, in Sorcha's psyche, forcing her to remain sleeping. A hot, alien kind of rage began to well up inside Astra, fingers clenching at the hem of her coat. No, she had to calm down, or she could hurt Sorcha by pure accident. A few deep breaths then, and she began to probe at that darkness, trying to peel it away. It wasn't nearly as profound as the one she'd found in Nai'ia's mind.in fact, a few moments later, it had already begun to crack. It was so easy.too easy. A bit further now.and.it was gone.  
  
"S.Sorcha?" Radish cried, blinking as the blonde's tails twitched in her lap. "Astra, I think she's waking up! She's waking up!!"  
  
Astra opened her eyes, frowning. There was a definite feel to that shield she'd just shattered. An encoded sort of message meant for her and her alone. Most likely whoever had been puppeteering Nai'ia had sensed Astra's intrusion, and decided Sorcha would make a wonderful little messenger.  
  
It had been a warning.  
  
And that.made Astra even angrier.  
  
"Sorcha! Sorcha!" Radish cried happily, moving up to the head of the bed to peer at her friend anxiously. Sorcha opened her eyes, blinking uncertainly at the world around her. "Sorcha?" Radish asked more softly, ears wilting. Something still didn't seem right.  
  
"Give her time, Radish," Astra sighed, standing. "I have a feeling she's had a rough week. And why don't you get back in bed? I can't believe you're already standing up."  
  
"That's what Taser said," she replied, making a face.  
  
"Maybe Birdbrain's not so stupid after all." She chuckled, standing and pulling the blanket more securely over the waking.but oddly quiet Sorcha. Astra had removed the block keeping her asleep. She should be just fine.  
  
But Sorcha would not be just fine. Radish continued to recover in leaps and bounds.while the Ninetails simply lay in bed, uninterested in anything or anyone. She ate only because she was told to, slept only when she absolutely had to, and hardly spoke at all. She showed no drive to get out of bed, but with nothing physically wrong with her, she was forced on her feet anyway once they needed the room for someone else. Radish, still wounded but with no further excuse to stay at the hospital, would help guide the nearly catatonic girl. She and Astra would try taking her to her old haunts.the beauty salon, the shopping district, the gym, the movie house.nothing would snap her out of it. Finally.desperate measures had to be taken.  
  
"Did I tell you there's a dance next week, Sorcha?" Radish asked innocently as she sifted through a rack of dresses. Sorcha stood behind her, silent and indifferent. "It'll be a great opportunity for you to boy watch."  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Hnn.I'm not so sure about picking my own dress.I have such a hard time picking colors and patterns, you know me." Radish perused a pair of bright tangerine tights. Then reached for a pale pink and green checkered skirt.and a magenta, crushed velvet top with pink lace frills.and last but not least, a big, pinstriped bow. Then she flounced into the dressing room with the bundle. Sorcha..twitched.  
  
"Ta daaa!" Radish beamed, popping back out moments later and striking a pose! Sorcha twitched again. "I think I'm going to buy it for the dance!" Radish giggled. That did it.  
  
"OFF!!" Sorcha wailed, her eyes finally going wide in horror. "Take that thing OFF Radish!! Please for the love of mercy!"  
  
"Sorcha!" Radish beamed, throwing her arms around the girl and hugging her as tight as she dared with her wounds. "You're alright!"  
  
"Eeeeyaaah! Don't touch me until you take that abomination off!" Sorcha wrinkled her nose, shooing the relieved Rapidash away. "I'll pick something else for you, just please, please don't wear that!"  
  
"Sorry Sorcha," Radish giggled, reassured that, at least for now, Sorcha was back to normal. "I had to use some shock therapy, you were starting to scare me!"  
  
"I think," Sorcha turned up her nose, "I can do without THAT kind of shock.now scat!"  
  
Radish disappeared into the dressing room again.  
  
---  
  
It had taken a concerted effort from Sorcha's more fashion forward (and well-connected) friends, but everything was in place. Strobes flared, colored lights danced and chased one another along floor and walls, smoke and bubbles drifted randomly from place to place, catching and diffusing the blinking rainbows. Serike had been pressed into DJ service, which he'd complained loudly about until assured that girls loved a great DJ.and that he'd be paid in kisses and refreshments.and at least one dance with Sorcha!  
  
The idea of the dance had spread quickly and was met enthusiastically. Ship life could be boring, and without traditional schools to attend, there weren't many opportunities for large groups of kids to get together. There were far more teens in attendance than expected, plus a few chaperones.including, much to his chagrin, Cord's mother and father, who absolutely insisted on meeting his friends.  
  
Astra wasn't terribly big on dancing, but Radish and Sorcha made it clear that inattendance was NOT an option. Sorcha'd done Astra's hair, pulling all but one side back into a femme fatale look adorned with black lacquered chopsticks. Astra'd insisted on her usual black, of course, and seemed satisfied enough with the long, oriental slip dress. Radish had come in simple, silver, knee length party dress with a high back to hide her still- healing injuries, while Sorcha herself had come in a candy-red, dangerously daring getup with high heels. Radish shuddered. She'd only settled for glossing her hooves, thank you. Taser, like most of the boys, hadn't bothered looking half as special as the girls did. Black dress pants and a button up shirt would do! Radish reached up and tugged at one of his ear tails, beaming.  
  
"Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" she called over the din of chatter and thrum of bass.  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious!" he laughed, making a little bow. "Shall we?" Radish giggled and wiggled her fingers at Astra and Sorcha before taking his hand and tugging him out onto the floor. Sorcha sighed and gave Astra a critical look.  
  
"Now how come WE don't have boyfriends?"  
  
"Because I don't want one, and you have Serike." Astra replied, crossing her arms and looking out over the tumultuous crowd, light glancing off the both of them to splash them with intermittent colors.  
  
"SERIKE?!" Sorcha wailed! "I don't want HIM, he's a jerk! And besides!" the Ninetails flipped her hair and fluffed her tails. "I can get any guy in here I want. You just watch!" and she would walk away, disappearing into the crowd. Astra smirked. Peace at last. And maybe she could duck out while they were busy.  
  
"Astra.."  
  
She turned, blinking. There was Cord, smiling. He'd actually bothered to comb back those colorless tresses into a short ponytail and was wearing.a shirt. An odd sight on the usually bare-chested boy.  
  
"You look nice," she acceded reluctantly, raising a brow. "I didn't expect to find you here."  
  
"Nor I you," he replied, grinning again. "Sorcha and Radish dragged you, didn't they?"  
  
"And Serike, to a degree," she nodded, standing in brief silhouette as a strobe went off behind her. Cord noted in that moment that without that huge coat to hide her, Astra actually had curves. He shook his head. He couldn't think of her that way.could he?  
  
"Well so long as we're here, we may as well play along, right?" he found himself saying.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I'm asking you to dance, Astra," he clarified, holding out his hand. The Mewtwo blinked those large, angular amethysts.then nodded, taking it.  
  
Elsewhere in the ballroom, Nai'ia was drifting along the edges of the milling crowds, content that the darkness and mist would, essentially, hide her. She wasn't sure shy she'd bothered coming. She certainly wasn't here to have fun, and she generally avoided loud, crowded places.but lately, she had found herself restless, in part to her earlier discovery about Dawn. It just hit.far too close to home for her. She shuddered, finding a large speaker to hide behind, where she settled, hugging her knees. She kept seeing those large, sad eyes.and herself reflected in them. Her old self.back when she was that small.back when.when.NO! She clutched at her skull, whimpering.her mind, it was beginning to crack and fracture.  
  
Hours had passed, and the music had slowed to let the couples dance alone. Radish, more tired than she normally would have been on account of her recent recovery, was cuddled into Taser as they moved lazily along the floor. He'd bowed his head over her, arms comfortable and careful about the little Rapidash. His cares as Captain had all but fled for this night, and he hadn't felt this relaxed since.well, he couldn't remember.  
  
"Ouch!!" Radish cried suddenly, jerking back to alertness. Taser blinked and released her, fearing he'd hurt her. But her gaze was cast upwards, one hand to her bare shoulder. She'd felt this sensation before.back when Taser's father had been killed. "T-Taser.I think we should."  
  
Before she could finish, the pipes threading above began to creak and groan loudly, even over the din of the music, water beginning to fall to the dance floor in steady little streams. Dancers cried out in indignation and, in some cases, pain similar to Radish's as they moved away.then, all at once, there was a loud series of snaps, and water rushed down in fierce torrents, sending people screaming and running every which way. The music warbled and died abruptly as the DJ booth (Serike bailed rather quickly!) disappeared under the deluge, tables and chairs vanishing under swirls and eddies.  
  
Taser was knocked back from the force, falling onto his back and looking up just in time to watch one of the large speakers totter forward and land painfully on one wing.then the water began to wash over him.  
  
Radish was swept off in the crowd as they headed for the upper levels of the ballroom, packing the stairs and exits and making it difficult to move. Already the first story had all but disappeared under those dark waters. And where was Taser? She knew.she just knew.and she fought her way to the banister, pulling herself over it and jumping.when she was caught and pulled back onto the stairs.  
  
"Radish DON'T!" Astra cried, pinning the smaller girl easily. "You'll be killed!"  
  
"Taser's down there!" she protested tearfully, struggling with all her might. "TASER!"  
  
"Stop it, you're going to open your wounds! Radish, STOP! Look!" she pointed out over the water.something was bubbling to the surface.  
  
Out came one of the strangest looking men Radish had ever seen. His skin had sharp edges and angles where it shouldn't.even his eyes were angular in ways that just didn't look natural. But she wasn't so much interested in what he looked like, as what he was towing industriously through the water.  
  
"Taser!!"  
  
The strange man hoisted the soaked Articuno onto the base of the stairs, then dove back under the water to make sure nobody was left. Radish bolted through the crowd, kneeling beside the coughing boy.  
  
"Taser are you alright?" she cried, taking his face in her hands. He looked up, smiling weakly.  
  
"A little waterlogged, and I think my wing's a bit sore, but I'll live," he coughed out, pushing clinging strands of pale azure back from his face. "What about you?"  
  
"I'm not hurt at all," she beamed, hugging him tightly. "Don't you everevereverscaremelikethatagain!!"  
  
The odd looking man resurfaced and crawled out, apparently satisfied that all those who'd been trapped down there were rescued. Radish looked up, beaming.  
  
"Thank you sir," she breathed, helping Taser to his feet. Those weird eyes blinked back at her, and he shrugged.  
  
"It. Was. No. Problem. Young. Lady. Glad. To. Be. Of. Service." And then he was gone, moving up the stairs towards a rather attractive middle aged woman.  
  
"Who was that?" Taser blinked in bewilderment.  
  
"Cord's dad," Astra chuckled. "He's a Porygon." .as though that explained everything.  
  
"We'll have to thank him later," Taser smiled, pulling Radish near. "Look, the water's already draining away.I don't think anyone was really hurt.with the exception of the flooding, this was a great night."  
  
"Oh yes, we should do this every year," Astra rolled her eyes.  
  
"You know," Taser chuckled, "That's not a bad idea."  
  
"."  
  
Cord himself had suspected the source of the sudden deluge and had disappeared, searching. Sure enough, he found Nai'ia, huddled in a corner and trembling. He knelt with a sigh, scooping her up. She did not fight his touch. A bad sign, a very bad sign.  
  
"Nai'ia." he whispered worriedly. He had to get her out of here before that Dawson guy showed up. He'd heard rumors that he was leaving, but he didn't want to take chances. He came up with a quick plan.take Nai'ia to Astra's alcove and pretend as though they'd been there all night if anyone came looking. "I won't let them find you, Nai'ia."  
  
And he spirited her off before the others could find him. 


End file.
